be done thereby By the Law understand the Law of Mosos and that not the Ceremonial but the Morall Law by him given He saith that the Gentiles did such things as are contained in the Law not because they performed or kept the Law which the Jews broke or that they did fully answer that knowledge which they had of the truth but because they did many things which the Law prescribed for in making publick Laws and in giving private precepts they did praescribe and give in precepts honest things and forbid things dishonest even as the Law of Moses it self did These having not the Law i. e These though they have not the written Law of Moses given them in Tables of stone or outward writings as the Jews had Are a Law unto themselves That is Are as a Law or instead of a written Law unto themselves The Particle As is here as often it is elsewhere to be understood Therefore they are as a Law unto themselves because they can by the light of Nature which is in them tell themselves what is honest and what dishonest and what is to be done and what to be left undone V. 15. Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts This relative Pronoun which includeth here and intimateth the cause as also it did chap. 1.25 q. d. For they shew Supple by doing by nature the things contained in the Law that the work of the Law is written in their heart And therefore they are as a Law unto themselves They shew the work of the Law to be written in their hearts because they do those things which are contained in the Law verse 14 The work of the Law By the work of the Law some understand the Law it self which is the Work to wit the Work of that great Law-maker the Lord of Heaven and Earth and as for the manner of speech the Law is called the Work of the Law as Circumcision is called the sign of Circumcision Rom. 4.3 Others take the Work of the Law for the effect of the Law to wit the written Law of Moses that is for the knowledge of good and evil for one effect of the Law is to shew what is good and to be followed what is evil and to be shunned q. d. For what the written Law doth work in the Jews to wit the knowledge of good and evill that do they shew written in their hearts which is an argument that They are a Law unto themselves Written in their hearts He opposeth the writing in their hearts to the writing in Tables of Stone after which manner the Law was written which was given by Moses Their conscience also bearing witness q. d. They not onely by shewing the works of the Law written in their hearts testifying that they are a Law unto themselves but their Conscience also testifying the same thing to wit That they are as a Law unto themselves This therefore is another argument to prove That the Gentiles are a Law unto themselves The Conscience is an operative Quality or Faculty or Action as some will of the mind which applieth our deeds to the Principles or Rules or Law of right Actions and thereby sheweth what is done as it ought to be and what is not done as it should be done Or it is a Practique Syllogisme as some call it which by the light of nature or of Grace judgeth and concludeth what is honest what dishonest what is commanded what forbiden what shall be rewarded what punished In this Syllogisme the Major Proposition is either from the light of Nature or from the Scriptures As for example he which sheds mans blood by man shall his blood be shed Gen. 9.6 This is the Major Proposition which the Conscience takes notice of In the Minor Proposition the Conscience of the Murderer assumeth saying thou hast shed mans blood Then doth the Conscience conclude a-against her own Master Therefore must thy blood be shed by man The Conscience therefore in whom soever it is hath knowledge of the Principles or Rules or Law of Actions and in the Gentiles which have no written Law given them from God as the Jews had she hath this knowledge from what is imprinted by Nature in their hearts Therefore well might the Apostle say that their Conscience testifieth that they are a Law unto themselves And their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another q. d. That is their thoughts in the mean time that they are working or doing any thing either accusing or excusing them respectively that is as they do either evil or good For if they do evil their thoughts will accuse them if they do good their thoughts will excuse them though men accuse them This I take to be the sence of this place as it is here rendered where Tò in the mean time signifies the mean time that they are working and One another is as much as them respectively For I understand this not of the thoughts but of the Men in whom these thoughts are But if you take it as though their thoughts accused or else excused one another So that the Accusers and Excusers were thoughts and the Accused or Excused were thoughts understand it not so as that the thoughts did this Reciprocally That is as if the same thoughts did accuse the same thoughts which accused them c. But so as that when evil thoughts arose in a man other thoughts arose in him and did accuse those evil thoughts of sin and evil and when those thoughts arose in a man which might seem evil and were not so other thoughts arose and did Apologize for and defend these thoughts For the word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not alwayes signifie a Reciprocation as will appear by Ephes 5.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being subject one to another in the fear of God where the Apostle would have Subjects to be subject to their Princes Servants to their Masters Children to their Parents but not Princes again to their Subjects Masters to their Servants nor Parents to their Children And according to this interpretation and exposition To in the mean while must either be redundant or signifie while they are Practically busied in examining what they have done Yet this place is most commonly rendered by other Interpreters thus though the sence be in a manner still the same and their thoughts by turns accusing or else excusing them The sence whereof is this q. d. That is their thoughts by turns either accusing them as when they do ill or excusing them as when they do well Note that the Conjunction And is put here as a Note of Declaration and is as much to say as That is for the thoughts accusing or the thoughts excusing are as two Species or Parts of the Conscience and declare what the Apostle meant by Conscience The thoughts of men cannot accuse men except they have a Rule or Law to judge their actions by from which Rule or
which God gave to the Jew but not to the Gentile and thou art circumcised with that cirrumcision which God appointed as a sign of that Covenant which God made with Abraham whereas the Gentile is uncircumcised and ignorant of the Law of God But though thou judgest thus with respect of persons to thy self yet we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth and without respect of persons against them which do such things be they Jewes oâ— be they Gentiles 3. And thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which do such things and doest the same that thou shalt escape the judgement of God 3 But tell me in good earnest O thou Jew doest thou that condemnest them which do such things and doest thy self the same doest thou I say think this that thou shalt escape the judgement of God 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance 4. Or presuming that God is well pleased with thee because he doth not execute some signal judgement upon thee but is good and patient and long-suffering towards thee doest thou despise him and fearest him not because of this his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering towards thee not knowing that the end of Gods goodness is to lead thee to repentance 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God 5. But thou through the Blindness and hardness and impenitency of heart which thou contractest to thy self by these means thou I say doest augment the weight of those punishments and encreasest the number of those torments which shall be poured out upon thee by reason of thy sins in the day of Gods wrath when he shall execute his righteous judgements in the sight of all the world 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds 6. Who will then render to every man a reward according to his deeds 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek according to the Gospel for glory and honour and immortality eternal life 8. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath 8. But unto them which obey not the Gospel which is the word of truth but are contentious against it and against the Ministers thereof and obey lies indignation and wrath 9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evill of the Jew first and also of the Gentile 9. Yea tribulation and anguish shall fall upon the soul of every man that doth evill if he repenteth not of the Jew first and then of the Gentile 10. But glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile 10. But glory honour and peace shall be to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and then to the Gentile 11. For there is no respect of persons with God 11. I say to the Jew first and then to the Gentile including the Jew as well as the Gentile in the punishment which I speak of for there is no respect of persons with God 12. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law 12. For as for the Gentiles who have not received the written law they as many of them as have sinned shall be condemned Though not by that law because they received it not and as for the Jewes who have received the written law as many of them as have sinned under that law shall be judged by that law 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel 16. In the day wherein God shall judge even the secrets of men by Jesus Christ whom he hath appointed to be judge both of the quick and dead according to the Gospel which I have preached 13. For not the hearers of the law are just before God but the doers of the law shall be justified 13. I say as for the Jewes who have received the written law they as many of them as have sinned under that law shall be judged by that law for if we think of obtaining justification by the law not the hearers of the law and the Learned in the law are justified before God but the doers of the law that is to say they which do and have done the works of the law so exactly as the law requires and have never broke the least title thereof at any time they and they onely shall be justified by the law in Gods sight 14. For when the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law unto themselves 14. But because I said of the Gentiles who have not received the written law that as many of them as have sinned shall be condemned though not by that law because they received it not I would not have any think that the Gentiles were quite without law for then indeed they could never sin and never be condemned for sin for sin is the breach of a law But though they had not a written law that is a law visibly written in Tables of Stone as the Jews had yet are they not without a law For when the Gentiles which have not the law that written law which was written in Tables of Stone and given by Moses do by the light and instinct of Nature the things which are contained in the written law of Moses these though they have not that law yet they are as a law unto them selves 15. Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another 15. For they shew that that which the Law of Moses enjoyneth is written though invisibly in their hearts when as they make publique Laws and give private Precepts conform thereunto c. And their conscience also beareth witness to this that is to say their thoughts which accuse or else excuse them by course excuse them when they do well and accuse them when they do ill which they could never do if they had not a Rule that is a Law to judge them by a Law which tells what is good and ought to be done and what is evil and to be eschued 17. Behold thou art called a Jew and restest in the Law and makest thy boast of God 17. But whereas thou thinkest O Jew that thou shalt escape the judgment of God because thou art a Jew and because thou hast deep knowledge in the Law of God c. I tell thee that thou art so far from escaping the judgment of God
judged to be the better interpretation of the Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is When respect is had in judgement not to the deeds and actions of a man which only should be scanned there but to other things as Beauty Honour Parentage Riches and the like which have nothing to do or have no Relation to the things which are to be judged But it may be objected here that God will reward the Jew which worketh good before the Gentile which worketh good and therefore God is a Respecter of Persons in judgement Answ Caeteris Paribus Or if other things are alike in both God will indeed give the prerogative of order to the Jew before he will to the Gentile But not when the Gentile excelleth the Jew But to give the praerogative of order for a mans stock or parentage sake is not against justice nor liable to that which is called respect of persons much less when God had before promised such a favour to the children of Abraham For in those things which are of meer favour there is not respect of persons and in all things whatsoever there must an order be observed Ver. 12 As many as have sinned without the Law shall perish also without the Law By the Law is here meant the Law which is so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the written Law which was given by Moses And the meaning of these words is this that as many as have not received the Law which was given by Moses as it was by him given and yet have sinned shall perish or be damned though they do not perish or are damned by that Law of Moses to wit if they do not repent nor lay hold of Christ and his Gospel Without the Law i. e. Having not received that written Law which was given by Moses By these he understands the Gentiles Shall also perish without the Law i. e. That is shall also be damned though they be not damned or condemned by the written Law of Moses If you ask by what Law then they shall be damned or condemned for none shall be damned or condemned but for sin and there is no sin but is against a Law I answer They shall be damned or condemned by the Law of Nature which was written in their hearts As many as have sinned in the Law i. e. As many as have sinned having received the Law to wit the written Law of Moses and are under that By these he meaneth the Jews Shall be judged by the Law i. e. Shall be judged by that Law whether they have sinned or no and being found sinners by that shall be by that condemned to wit if they lay not hold of Christ and repent Ver. 13. For not the Hearers of the Law are just before God i. e. For they which are not Doers but Hearers only of the Law they are not such as shall be justified or acquitted in judgement before God We must understand here the word Onely And by Hearers we may understand not any ordinary Hearers onely but such also as have been diligent in hearing the Law read and expounded and have so far profited thereby as that they rest therein and know Gods will and approve the things that are excellent and are able to be instructors and Teachers of others and are such as we read of Verse 17 18 19 20. And by being just before God is meant being justified as the next Sentence sheweth Note that the Jews who sought for justification by the Law were so conceited of their diligent hearing of the Law and the knowledge which they got by hearing as that they thought themselves so highly beloved of God for that alone as that God would not by reason of that condemn them or cast them off though they broke the Law The Apostle therefore to take away this vain conceit of theirs Add to prevent any Objection which they might raise against that which he had said saith That not the Hearers of the Law are just before God but the Doers of the Law shall be justified The Doers of the Law shall be justified By the Doers of the Law are meant such as so do the Law as the Law requires that is such as so do the Law as that they never fall or fail at any time in performing whatsoever the Law commands for he that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them is so far from being accounted just or from being justified by the Law as that he is cursed Galath 3.10 Deut 27.26 Note That the Apostle doth not affirm here or say that there are any such as have so perfectly observed the Law or have been such Doers thereof as the Law requireth But he doth onely teach what is required to legall Justification and what they must do who would be justified by the Law They must not be bare Hearers of the Law as the Jews would have it but exact doers of it Shall be justified i. e. Shall not come into condemnation but shall be acquitted in judgement and freed from punishment Ver. 14. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law i. e. When the Gentiles which have not the written Law of Moses nor ever had it c. By the Law understand here the written Law of Moses Note That these words relate not to that which went immediately before but to those words of the twelfth verse As many as have sinned without the Law shall also perish without the Law After which words we must understand these or the like to wit Yet you must not think that the Gentiles were altogether without a Law As if he should say As many as have sinned without the Law shall also perish without the Law yet you must not think that the Gentiles are altogether without a Law for when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves For The Apostle doth here either prevent or answer an objection which might rise from these words ver 12. As many as have sinned without the Law shall also perish without the Law For a man when he heareth this may say If they were without a Law how could they sin for sin is the deviation from a Law and if they have not sinned how can they justly be punished or condemned To which the Apostle answers in effect thus Though I said speaking of the Gentiles that As many as have sinned without the Law shall also perish without the Law yet yee must not think that the Gentiles were altogether without a Law for when the Gentilss which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these though they have not the Law yet are as a Law unto themselves Do by nature the things contained in the Law i. e. Do by the light of nature such things as are contained in the moral Law of Moses and are prescribed or commanded to
rise up in judgement against those Jews which our Saviour there reprehends and condemn them Mat. 12.41 Or the uncircumcised if he fulfill the Law may be said to judge the Jew which breaks the Law because he shall move God to condemn him for he shall give just occasion to God the judge of all to condemn him being that he kept the Law though he had it not written but the Jew though he had it written broke it Who by the Letter and circumcision i. e. Who having received that is who though thou hast received both the written Law and circumcision Note that By is taken here for With 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as chap 4.11 So that this is as if he should say Who with the Letter and circumcision that is Who having the Letter and circumcision or who though thou hast both the Letter and circumcision c. By the Letter is meant the Law written in Letters Ver. 28. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly c. The Apostle prevents an Objection here For whereas he shewed from ver 17. to ver 24 That a Jew which had the knowledge of the Law being that he sinned his sin was greater than his who was not a Jew and had not the knowledge of the Law And whereas he told the Jew ver 25. That if he kept not the Law but was a breaker of the Law his circumcision which he so much trusted in was made uncircumcision And again ver 26 27. That the uncircumcised Gentile if he keep the Righteousness of the Law his uncircumcision should be counted for circumcision yea He should judge the Jew who having both circumcision and the Law did transgress the Law A Jew might object saying But how can this be Paul that the case of a Jew can be so bad as thou makest it though he doth sin Or how can it be that his circumcision should become uncircumcision if he keep not the Law And how should the uncircumcision of the Gentiles if they keep the Righteousness of the Law be counted for circumcision And how should an uncircumcised Gentile which fulfilleth the Law judge a Jew which hath the Law and circumcision if he transgresseth the Law For knowest not thou that a Jew is in high respect and favour with God as being a Child of Abraham the friend of God and that circumcision is highly respected and favoured of God as being given to Abraham as a sign of his favour and a Seal of the covenant which he made with him and with his seed whose seed the Jews are This objection I say the Apostle prevents by granting that which a carnal Jew might object concerning a Jew and concerning circumcision but distinguishing between a Jew and a Jew and between circumcision and circumcision q. d. For though I grant you that a Jew is in high favour with God and that circumcision is highly respected of him yet He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the Heart c. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly q. d. For though a Jew be highly favoured of God and circumcision be highly respected by him yet he which is a Jew outwardly only Supple he is not the Jew which God so highly favoureth Ellipsis The Jew did therefore think himself highly favoured by God and so free from judgement because he was of the Seed of Abraham for every Jew is a Son of Abraham according to the flesh but see what was said ver 17. concerning the Jew He is said to be a Jew outwardly who is a Son of Abraham onely according to the flesh and appears to be so by his Genealogie and by enjoying the outward Priviledges of such as were children of Abraham carnally Neither is that circumcision which is outward in the Flesh i e. Neither is that circumcision which is outward to wit in the Flesh Supple that circumcision which God so highly respecteth Ellipsis Ver. 29. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly q. d. But he is the Jew which God so highly favours and which shall escape the wrath and judgement of God which is a Jew inwardly By a Jew as I intimated is understood a Child of Abraham and he is a Child of Abraham inwardly who is like unto Abraham in the inward gifts and graces of the Soul as in Faith and the like For they which are of faith the same are the Children of Abraham Galat. 3.7 And if yee were Abrahams children yee would do the works of Abraham saith our Saviour John 8.39 And they which are so the Children of Abraham or thus Jews they shall find respect and favour with God and shall escape the wrath and judgement of God For they have peace with God and rejoyce in the hope of his Glory Rom. chap. 5. ver 1 2. And circumcision is that of the Heart i. e And the circumcision which findeth respect and favour with God and so profiteth to escaping the wrath and judgement of God is that circumcision which is of the heart Ellipsis That of the heart i. e. That whereby the Heart is circumcised from sins and dead works as from unbelief and the like and that only c. The circumcision of the heart is that whereby infidelity and all superfluity of naughtiness is as it were cut off from the heart and cast away And this was signified as a duty to be done by the outward circumcision of the foreskin of the yard or flesh See Deut. 10. ver 16. and Acts 7. ver 51. In the Spirit not in the Letter That is that which is delivered and commended in the Gospel not that which is commanded and expressed in the Law Thus Some-Where note that the Spirit is taken sometimes for the Gospel and the Letter for the Law as 2 Cor. 3.6 But others had rather take the Spirit here for that principal part of man to wit the Soul which is a Spirit and the Letter for that part of the Body in which circumcision was to be made by the Praescript of the Letter that is by the Praescript of the Law by a Metonymie which Prescript appointed the Praeputium or foreskin to be circumcised Gen. 17.11 Levit. 12.3 So that the sence of this place is this q. d. Which circumcision is in the Soul not in the Body or any part thereof Whose praise is not of Men but of God i. e. Which Circumcision is prais-worthy yet God only can give it its due praise and not Man God only can give this Circumcision its due praise because being it is in the Heart or Soul God only can see whether it be true or no for he only is the searcher of the Reins and Heart Revel 2.23 Heb. 4.13 And therefore he can only see whether it be worthy of praise or not By what the Apostle speaks here in these
the Law is only the knowledge of sin So some understanding the word only here q. d. For by the Law we only come to know what sin is that is all that the Law can do it can teach us what sin is indeed but it cannot enable us or give us strength to avoid sin that so we may be justified This then is an Answer to an Objection which some might make saying Why Some men as the Jews for example have the written Law and cannot that enable them to do the deeds of the Law so that they may be justified thereby To this the Apostle answers confirming what he had said No for by the Law is only the knowledge of sin Oâ—hers make this an Answer to an Objection too but thus whereas the Apostle said That no flesh shall be justified by the deeds of the Law A Jew might object and say to what purpose then is the Law if a man cannot be justified thereby then was the Law given in vain To this the Apostle answers q. d. Yet it was not for no purpose or in vain that the Law was given though a man cannot be justified thereby for by the Law we come to know what sin is Others take this as a Reason brought by the Apostle to confirm what he had said to wit That no flesh should be justified in the sight of God And his reason is because every man knows by the Law that he hath sinned For whereas the Law tels every man his duty and his conscience tels him that he hath not done according to the Law what remains but that by the Law he knows that he hath sinned Others take this also as a Reason brought by the Apostle to confirm what he had said to wit That no flesh should be justified in the sight of God But they take the word Law in a larger manner than the former did For they take it for the whole word of God contained in the Old Testament And by the Law so taken it is known that All have sinned because there be many passages in the word of God which shew that all have sinned Ver. 21. But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets i e. But yet the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested c The Apostle prevents an Objection here For whereas he said ver 20. That by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God c. A man might object and say if it be so that No flesh can be justified in the sight of God by the deeds of the Law miserable is mans condition For how can a man be justified if not by the Law This Objection I say the Apostle prevents saying But yet the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested Even the righteousness of God which is by faith c. By which he sheweth that a man may be justified by Faith without the Law that is without the strict observation of the Law But now This Particle now is not here an Adverbe of Time but being joyned with But signifieth as much as But yet and so it signifieth also Hebrews 11. ver 16. In these words But now they desire a better Country That is an Heavenly The Righteousness of God Righteousness is taken here for justification as cap. 1.17 and it is called The Righteousness of God because it justifieth before God and God is the Author of it Without the Law That is without the deeds of the Law or without the strict observation of the Law These words answer to those of the twentieth verse viz. By the deeds of the Law And are answered again by those of the two and twentieth verse viz. By the faith of Jesus Christ Is manifested i. e Is plainly and explicitely made known by the preaching of the Gospel Being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets By the Law is here meant especially the Books of Moses in which the Law is written and by the Prophets he meaneth the books writings of the Prophets among which the Books of the Psalms is to be reckoned though sometimes they are distinguished one from another as Luke 24.44 Justification by Faith and so without the Law is attested as out of other places so out of the books of Moses in the History of Abraham Rom. 4.3 And out of the books of the Prophets as out of Habakkuk Hab. 2.4 cited Rom. 1.17 And out of the Psalms Psal 32.1 cited Rom. 4.6 and out of Isaiah Isa 28 16. cited Rom. 9.33 and 10.11 c. The Ceremonies also of the Law witnessed this by the blood of their sacrifices and by their washings and by the covering of the Arke c. The Apostle adds this Being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets to shew that what he taught was no sigment of his own but that which the holy Scriptures did acknowledge and teach Ver. 22. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ q. d. I say the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ The Apostle resumes here the words which he used in the former verse that he might explain himself what Righteousness of God it was which he said was now manifested For in the former verse he did set it out only Negatively and shew only that it was a Righteousness without works Now therefore he shews what it is affirmatively while he sheweth that it is a Righteousness which is to be obtained by Faith and that the Faith of Jesus Christ By the Faith of Jesus Christ i. e. By the faith of the Gospel whereof Jesus Christ is the Chief and Principall Subject and of which he was the Preacher This Genitive case therefore is Genitivus objecti efficientis The Object of our Faith is the Gospel of Christ chap. 1.16 And Jesus Christ himself is as the Preacher so the Principal Subject of that Gospel Jesus Christ therefore is put here for the Gospel of Jesus Christ Per Synechdochen Partis for think it not enough to justification to believe that Jesus Christ is come into the world No nor that God hath raised him from the dead as Chap. 10 9. But when it is said that we shall be justified by the faith of Jesus or that we shall be saved if we believe that God hath raised him from the dead A part of the Object which we must believe for our justification is put for the whole Vnto all i. e. Which Righteousness is offered to all whether Jews or Gentiles And upon all them which believe i. e. And which righteousness is actually bestowed upon all and only upon all them which believe whether they be Jews or Gentiles Note here that there is a Totall Ellipsis of the Verbs in the Greek which are supplied by some in this manner as I have spoken and they do interpret these words as if by these words Vnto all were intended the offer of righteousness or justification And
means the abrogation or expiration thereof but he speaks of the Law as of an Husband by an Allegory therefore saith rather That being dead wherein we were held than That being abrogated or expired wherein we were held Wherein we were held The particle In in Wherein is to be taken here for under So is the Greek preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word in the Greek here interpreted under Matth. 7.6 In those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translatours render under their feet That we should serve i. e. That being now married unto Christ and so strengthned by his Grace in the inward man we should serve Christ or we should serve God We should serve Supple God or serve Christ. The Apostle seemeth here to leave his Allegory of an Husband and Wife and Children and to speak more plainly and literally than he did before For whereas he saith here That we should serve he said in the same sence before That we should bring forth fruit ver 4. In newness By newness understand here Newness of life or a new kind or course of life rather by an Hebraism a kind or course of life different from that which we led before while we were under the Law and in the flesh In newness therefore is by a new life Before they led a sinful and ungodly life Now he would have them to lead a Righteous and a Godly life Of Spirit i e. Which the Spirit that is which the Gospel worketh or is able to work under which ye are brought For the Spirit is opposed here to the letter that is to the Law and what is more usually opposed to the Law than the Gospel So is it opposed and so is the word taken 2 Cor. 3.6 The Gospel is called the Spirit because of the Spirit of God which goeth along with it wherby man is brought to believe the Gospel and is renewed and strengthened to walk according to the Gospel by reason of which Spirit accompanying it it is also called the power of God unto salvation Chap. 1.16 To serve God therefore in newness of Spirit is to serve God by a new course of life such a course of life as the Gospel doth not only require of us but enable us also to lead For they which are under the Gospel are both required and enabled by the Gospel to lead a new life And not in the oldness of the letter i. e. And not with our old manner of living or with our old course of life which we led while we were under the Law and which was occasioned by the Law This the Apostle adds and speaks with a kind of Sarcasm because many Jews were so addicted to the Law as that they would hardly here of the abrogation or expiration of the Law as though that life which they lead under the Law before they were engrafted into Christ or had received his Gospel or his Grace was a life pleasing unto God And not in the oldness Oldness is to be taken here by an Hebraism for our old course and manner of living which was a course of life led in sin occasioned by the Law In is to be taken here for With after the Hebrew manner Of the Letter The letter is to be taken here for the Law of Moses that is for the Law as it was given by Moses and as it is precisely considered without the grace of the Gospel as it was taken Chap. 6 14 c. He calls the Law as it was given by Moses and as it is precisely considered without grace the Letter because it was described by Letters that is because it was written or given in writing and because it was in a manner but as a bare Letter or bare writing only which had no more or little more power to make a man good than by telling him what was good and commanding him to do it And being the Law was but a bare letter and did in a manner tell a man only what was good and command him to do it it did by Accident when he was bad make him worse for except a Carnal man hath grace given him to keep the commandments he runs contrary to the commandments and grows the worse by being commanded When therefore the Apostle saith And not in the oldness of the Letter we must not understand the words so as if he meant only thereby their old course of life led under the Letter that is under the Law But we must also understand them so as that he meant thereby that that course of life was occasioned at least in part by the Letter that is by the Law while they were under it as will appear by the Objection following and by the eighth verse So that these Genitives of the Spirit and of the Letter may be taken for Genitivi Efficientis Ver. 7. What shall we say then i. e. What shall we conclude then from that which we said viz. From that The Law is dead by the body of Christ And from that that we called Our former oldness The oldness of the Letter Is the Law sin q. d. Shall we conclude that the Law is a true and Genuine cause of sin Sin is to be taken here by a Metonymie for the cause of sin and the Law is to be taken here as it was taken Chap. 6.14 and Chap. 7. ver 1. 4. And as it signifieth the same with the Letter ver 6. God forbid By these words as he did before the Apostle detesteth and putteth from himself the thought of such a thing or such a conclusion as this is that the Law is a true and genuine cause of sin Nay I had not known sin i. e. Nay so far is the Law from being a true and genuine cause of sin as that I had not known sin at least so well as now I do c. But by the Law i e. But by the Law which was given in writing by Moses which did forbid sin If the written Law did forbid Sin and make it at least more known to be Sin than otherwise it would be by forbidding it surely the Law was not the genuine cause of Sin nor did it prompt or move thereunto For I had not known Lust Supple to be a Sin That is For I had not known that the inward lust and inward desire onely of that which is evil though it did not break out into any outward Act was Sin at least so well as now I do Thou shalt not covet This is the tenth Commandment of the Decalogue the Apostle omits here the object which is mentioned by Moses in that commandment viz. Thy neighbours house thy neighbours wife c. for brevities sake But though in that commandment at large there is no other object named but that which is the object of the Sixth and that which is the object of the seventh Commandment yet the object of this Commandment seems to me to be as large as the object of all the other nine
it is revealed I say a Righteousnesse or Justification which is of faith for that you may know that I speak not of any new thing or that I vent a figment of mine own brain it is written Habakkuk 2.4 That the just shall be justified by their faith 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness 18 A man shall not be justified by his works as they teach who are the greatest opposers of righteousnesse or justification by faith for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven both by his word and by the plagues which we see poured down upon sinners against the ungodlinesse and against the unrighteousnesse of all men whether they be Jewes or Gentiles because they hold the known truth which they have both of godlinesse and righteousnesse in ungodlinesse and in unrighteousnesse as in a Prison so that the known truth which they have thereof can no more shew it self nor no more go forth into good or virtuous deeds or actions than a Prisoner can shew himself or go forth which is shut up or imprisoned in a close Prison or Dungeon 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them For God hath shewed it unto them 19. But some man may here object and say That surely the Gentiles do not hold the known truth of godliness and righteousness in ungodliness and unrighteousness for being that they never had the Law given to them as the Jews had they cannot have the true knowledge of godliness and righteousness as the Jews have But to this I answer That the Gentiles though they had not the Law given to them as the Jews had to whom it was given fairly written in Tables of Stone yet they have the true knowledge both of godliness and of righteousness For to speak of Righteousness first which concerns our duty towards our Neighbour the Gentiles have the true knowledge of this because that which God hath appointed by his Law to be done by one neighbour to another is manifest to them for God hath shewed it unto them by that light of Nature which he hath set up in their hearts 20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and God-head so that they are without excuse 20. And as for Godlinesse which concerns our duty towards God They have the true knowledge of this also for those things of God which cannot be seen by our bodily eyes nor perceived by our outward senses to wit his eternal power and God-head by which understand his Providence and Goodness to his Creatures too have been ever since the world was made and are clearly known being understood by the things which are created so that the Gentiles are without excuse 21. Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned 21. Because that when they knew God to be a powerfull God and a good God ruling by his Providence and providing for his Creatures all things which were necessary and convenient for them they glorified him not neither were thankful to him for his benefits but became vain in their imaginations and had their foolish heart darkned and over-spread with mists of errour 22. Professing themselves to be wise they became fools 22. And though they professed themselves to be wise yet they became fools 23. And changed the Glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things 23. For they changed the glorious and incorruptible God whom they should have adored for an Image made like to corruptible man and for birds as the Ibis and for four-footed beasts as Crocodiles Wolves Lions Dogs Cats c. And for creeping things as Serpents Fishes c. And for their Images giving Divine Worship to them 24. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own bodies between themselves 24. Wherefore God did in the way of retaliation to them give them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts which he restrained not to dishonour their own bodies between themselves 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the Creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever Amen 25. Because they changed the true God for that which was not God and worshipped and served the creature passing by the Creator so dishonouring him who is blessed for ever though they thus neglect and passe him by And ever may he be blessed Amen 26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections for even their women did change their naturall use into that with is against nature 26. For this cause I say God gave them up to vile affections and base lusts to be slaves to them and to obey them and to do whatsoever they tempted them or moved them to For even their women did change the natural use of their bodies into that which is against nature carrying themselves as men in those acts which should tend to Generation 27. And likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet 27. And likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman which is such as husbands have of their wives became Buggerers Ganimedes and Catamites c. and burned in their lust one towards another men with men working that which is most filthy and more than beastly and receiving by hemselves themselves being the Authors and Actors of their own shame and punishment that recompence of their wickednesse and of their dishonour which they did to God which was meet and answerable in a general way to their sin 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledg God gave them over to a Reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient 28. And even as they did not approbate or like to retain God in their knowledge by worshipping him whose worship would have been as a Remembrancer to them of him so he gave them over to a reprobate or base mind a mind so perversly judging of virtue and vice as that it called evill good and good evill light darknesse and darknesse light bitter sweet and sweet bitter that they might do those things which are most foul and worthy even of eternal death 29. Being filled with all unrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse covetousnesse maliciousnesse full of envy murther debate deceit malignity whisperers 29. So that they were filled with all unrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse covetousnesse maliciousnesse and were full of envy murther debate deceit malignity and became
and not by works rather seeing that the Law saith that the man that doth the things of the Law shall live by them To this the Apostle here answers q. d. I therefore said not that the way of obtaining justification is by works because no man can be justified by works for the wrath of God is revealed against all the ungodliness and unrighteousnes of men c. Where note that the Apostle by this his answer to this objection cometh to treat of one main Subject of this his Epistle to wit that justification is not by works A way which he often useth in teaching what he hath to teach And by proving that justification is not by works he doth by consequence confirm his former Thesis viz. that justification is by faith by destroying that which was most opposed against it which was justification by works Note here that he which looks for righteousness from his works must so perform the works of the Law as the Law requireth and therefore he must so perform them as that he breaks not the least commandment at any time For cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Deut 27 26. Galat. 3.10 Now then if a man hath sined but in one sin at any time he cannot be justified by the Law or by Works For the man that is justified is blessed Rom. 4. v. 6 7. But he that hath sinned though but in one sin and that but once is cursed untill he cometh to be justified by Faith The wrath of God is revealed from heaven Referr those words from heaven to these the wrath of God q. d. The wrath of God which is from heaven is revealed against all ungodliness c. By saying that the wrath of God is from heaven he sheweth the heaviness and grievousness of this wrath for if this wrath is from heaven it is greater than that which can come out from man Note that the word Revealed signifieth that which is made manifest by its effects as well as that which is made manifest by words And both these wayes is the wrath of God revealed against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men for it is made manifest by the punishments which God inflicteth upon sinners some of which we read of in this Chapter vers 24 26 28 c. And it is made manifest also by the word of God for God hath often in his word and by his word threatned all manner of sinners with judgment which judgment he will be sure to execute upon them if not before yet at the last day 2 Thes 1.8 c. Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men Note that the word ungodliness is to be taken here for those sins which are committed immediately against God And unrighteousness for those sins which are commited immediately against our Neighbour and when he saith al ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men he signifies that the ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men was manifold by reason of their manifold sins Of Men He speaks indefinitely and therefore he is to be understood as if he spoke of all Men or else we must say that there is an Hypallage here and that the Apostle saith against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men For against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of all Men. Note that out of this Generality of Men they are to be excepted who believe for though no other are to be excepted yet they are to be excepted as appeareth as in general by the main Scope of the Apostle here so in particular by Chap. 5 ver 1. c. And by the words immediately following for they which truly believe hold not the truth in unrighteousness Who hold the truth in unrighteousness By Truth I understand here the truth or true knowledge which these men had of godliness and of righteousness and by unrighteousness I understand both the ungodliness and unrighteousness which he spoke of before and therefore unrighteousness is to be taken in a larger signification here than it was immediately before They are said to hold the truth in unrighteousness who have the true knowledge of Godliness and righteousness but by their ungodliness and unrighteousness do so keep in this knowledge and so imprison it as it were as that it cannot go out into act or shew it self or any more be seen than a Prisoner can go out or be seen or shew himself to those which are without when he is kept in and imprisoned in some dark prison or dungeon Knowledge of things to be done cannot be made manifest but by our Actions which are the fruits thereof Therefore evill actions do not manifest but obscure and hide as in a Prison such a Knowledge Note that when he saith who hold the truth in unrighteousness he doth not intend to exempt any man except Believers from what he said as though there were some others who believed not and yet held not the Truth in unrighteousness But he doth it either to declare the common condition of all men that they are such as hold the truth in unrighteousness Or else to give a reason why the wrath of God was revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men which was because they held the truth in unrighteousness For the Pronoune which is sometime put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as a sign of the cause Ver. 19. For that which may be known of God is manifest in them Between this and the foregoing verse understand these or the like words For even the Gentiles have the truth of righteousness q d. For even the Gentiles have the truth of righteousness for that which may be known of God is manifest in them Where note that the Apostle prevents an Objestion here For whereas he said in the foregoing verse generally of all men except Believers to this purpose viz. That they held the Truth to wit of Godliness and righteousnesse in ungodliness and unrighteousness A man might object and say But how can the Gentiles hold the Truth of Godliness in ungodliness or of Righteousness in unrighteousnesse whereas the Gentiles had not the truth either of godliness or of righteousness for they had not the Law to teach them these Truths as the Jews had To this whole Objections the Apostle here answers by Parts And first to that Part of it which concerneth the truth or true knowledge of righteousness he answereth in this verse And Secondly to that part of it which concerns the Truth or true knowledge of godliness he answereth in the verses following That which may be known of God The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which as I conceive is meant either the Law of Nature or that which is commanded by the Law of Nature in order to our Neighbour The verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among other things signifieth statuere constituere decernere to ordain constitute decree Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is derived from thence may
because of these things as that they make the guilty of the deeper condemnation Behold then thou art called a Jew a Jew by Birth and a Jew by Profession and delightest in the Law and boastest of God that he is thy God 18. And knowest his will and approvest the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the Law 18. And knowest thou saist his will and by thy industry hast found out most excellent Divine documents and approvest of them as of Gold which is pure and precious being instructed from a Child out of the Law 19. And art confident that thou thy self art a guid of the blind a light of them which are in darkness 19. And thou boastest that thou thy self art a guide to them that are blind as concerning knowledge and art able to direct them in the right way and that thou art as a light to them which are in the darkness of ignorance 20. An instructer of the foolish a teacher of babes which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law 20. And that thou by thy Wisdom art an Instructer of such as are foolish and a teacher of those which are but babes for knowledge in respect of thee For thou hast thou saist a Model or Series or Idea of those truths which are in the Law orderly imprinted in thy minde whereby thou perfectly knowest them thy self and canst more speedily and easily teach them others 21. Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy self thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal 21. Thou therefore which teachest another to know teachest thou not thy self to do Thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal 22. Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit sacriledge 22. Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery Thou that abhorrest Idols because they rob God of his honour doest thou commit sacriledge which is a robbing of God too 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law that thou art perfectly skilled in it and that thou delightest in it as being the Law of God doest thou break the Law and so dishonour God which gave it 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written 24. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you Jews by your sins as it is written and as it was foretold by Isaiah Isa 52.5 that so it would be 25. For circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy circumcision is made uncircumcision 25. But thou wilt say That thou art circumcised and that by the benefit of circumcision so infallible a sign it is of Gods favour thou shalt escape the judgment of God and be freed from all the mischief of sin and be received into Gods favour But be not mistaken for circumcision indeed will profit thee in this kind if thou keep the Law punctually and exactly But if thou be a breaker of the Law in any part thereof thy circumcision is become as uncircumcision and thou wilt have no more benefit thereby than if thou hadst never been circumcised 26. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the Law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision 26. Wherefore beeing it is so if the uncircumcised Gentile doth perform that righteousness and do those things which the Law commandeth shall not his uncircumcision be counted as good as circumcision and shall not he be justified as well as if he had been circumcised 27. And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature if it fulfill the Law Judge thee who by the letter and circumcision doest transgress the Law 27. And shall not the Gentile which is uncircumcised as having no right to circumcision by his birth or by his stock as thou hast if he fulfill the Law condemn thee by his example who having both the Law and circumcision doest transgress the Law 28. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh 28. But thou wilt say But for all this I am a Jew and I am sure that a Jew is a favorite of God and one whom God will free from wrath to come because he is a Son of Abraham And I am circumcised and I am sure that circumcision will free us from damnation But be not mistaken for he is not such a Jew whom God makes his favorite and whom he will free from the wrath to come who is only a Jew outwardly that is who is only a Jew by his carnal discent from Abraham and by his Genealogy from him derived Neither is that the circumcision which will free a man from damnation and which God respecteth which is outward in the flesh of the privy members whereby the foreskin thereof is cut off 29. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 29. But he is the Jew which God makes his favorite and which he will free from the wrath to come who is a Jew inwardly by reason of the faith which he hath in his heart whereby he imitates Abraham and is a Child of Abraham as Abraham is the Father of the Faithful And that is the circumcision which will free us from damnation and which God respecteth which is the circumcision of the heart whereby infidelity and unbelief are cut off The circumcision which is taught and performed by the Gospel not that circumcision which is commanded in the Law The circumcision whose praise is not of men who see only outward things and things obvious to the bodily eyes But of God who seeth and searcheth the Heart and the Reins where this circumcision is seated CHAP. II. Verse 1. Therefore thou art inexcusable O Man c. Note that whereas the Apostle did in the eighteenth verse of the first Chapter say That the wrath of God was revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who held the truth in unrighteousness thereby shewing that all men had sinned and whereas he intended to make that his saying good by a Partition that is by shewing it to be true both of Jew and Gentile and shewed it of the Gentile from the nineteenth verse to the end of that Chapter he begins here to shew it to be true of the Jew also and though this is a main drift of his yet he slides to it as it were to a matter only by the bie as his manner is Therefore thou art inexcusable O Man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self c. These words depend as I intimated upon the eighteenth verse
it is written How much she hath glorified herself and lived deliciously so much torment give her Rev. 18.7 Against the day of wrath i. e. Against that day in which God hath appointed to execute his wrath and to punish all those which have offended In that day that Treasure of wrath which every one hath heaped to himself shall be brought forth and poured out upon him And Revelation of the righteous judgement of God i. e. And against the day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God that is against the day in which God will openly passe his righteous judgement upon all men The Revelation of a thing is somtimes taken for the open Existence or Being of a thing as Chap. 1.18 and so is it to be taken here By this day is meant the day of the general judgement of God which shall be in the end of the world ver 16. Ver 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds God will render rewards to every one not only to this man or that man or to this Nation or that Nation but to every one of every Nation and he will render them according to their deeds To them who have done well he will render good things as Honour Immortality and Life eternal ver 7. And to them which have done evil evil things as Tribulation and anguish v. 9. And to those which have done better than other good men will he give a greater measure of good things and to those who have done worse than other evill men He will give a greater measure of evill things Thus will he give to every man according to his deeds And thus must we interpret this his retribution not as though he were said so to render to every one according to his works so as that the Godly man or man that did well should have no more than he deserved for his reward shall infinitely exceed his works Who will render to every one according to his deeds It may be asked by way of Objection That if God should render to every man according to his deeds and there is no man but hath sinned Chap. 1.18 Chap. 3.10 And every man which hath sinned is cursed Deut. 27.26 Galat. 3.10 How could any one look for honour and immortality and receive eternal life I answer that if we speak of good works and should measure them according to the Strict Rule of the Law No man could be saved or ever receive eternal life by vertue of his deeds And according to this Rule Repentance would do him little good because he had once sinned and so continued not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Deut. 27.26 Galat. 3.10 But this is not the Rule by which all men shall be judged at the last day For they which believe the Gospel shall be judged by the Gospel which through Christ and for his merits sake applied to us is a merciful Rule and accepts of repentance and pardons sins upon repentance and takes off the curse of the Law and promiseth eternal life to them that walk according to the Gospel And therefore he that walks according to the Rule of the Gospel and performs his part in the New Covenant which is a Gracious Covenant may through Christ hope for Glory and Honor and Immortality by those his deeds though he hath sinned and that not in vain For he shall be crowned at length with eternal life though he could not be saved if his deeds were to be examined strictly and he judged according to the strict rigour of the Law For God who is the only Law-giver who hath power to save and to destroy James 4.12 He hath cancelled the rigid Law as to Believers and set them the Gospel to be the only Rule for them to walk by now and to be judged by at the last day through the merits of Christ A Question more here may be asked for one may say the Judgment which the Lord will execute at the last day towards all men is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a just and righteous Judgment v. 5. How therefore can that Judgment by which he shall adjudge Believers to eternal life be called a just or righteous Judgment whereas there is no Believer but hath sinned and therefore deserved everlasting death I answer though the Judgment by which God shall adjudge the Believers to Eternal life cannot be said to be just in that sence as that the Believer doth deserve eternal life by the worth of his works and that God would be unjust if he did not so reward him Yet it may be said to be just in respect of the promise of eternal life which God hath graciously made to all Believers for the merits of Christ in the Gospel For there is Justice in keeping of promises and a promise gives a right to that where without a promise no right could be claimed Moreover in this case the merits of Christ supply the defect of man and for his sake he may be accounted worthy of eternal life who is not worthy thereof for his own Again there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Judgment passed according to the Gospel upon those which are under the Gospel Ver. 7. By patient continuance in well doing That is by patient continuance or perseverance in well doing By patient continuance or perseverance in well doing is meant such continuance or perseverance in doing well as no cross or persecution or discouragement can break off And by well doing is meant not that strict observance of the Law which the Law requireth for who can do that but such well doing as the faithful and believers perform which desire and endeavour to walk in all pleasing to God though they sometimes stumble and fall That is such well doing as is required of them and they perform which believe the Gospel Seek for Glory By Glory is here meant a glorious and illustrious Estate such as is described Mat. 13.43 which Estate can be sought only by them which believe and that by faith in Christ See more of this soon after And Honour Honour as it is commonly defined is a sign whereby men express that Excellency which they conceive to be in another The Honour here spoken of consisteth in that that God by that which he will do to such as are here spoken of will make it appear how highly he doth esteem of them and in what account he hath them Eternal life i. e. He will render Eternall life For these words He will render are to be repeated from verse 6. Note here from this place that in Eternal life these three things are comprehended Glory Honour and immortality Note also that the Apostle speaks here of such as believed the Gospel for none but such could seek as they should for glory and honour and immortality being it was our Saviour Christ Jesus which brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 And
Law they see their actions swerving Nor can they excuse them except they have a Rule or Law to judge their actions by agreable to which Rule they find their actions Therefore these thoughts of men accusing or excusing them shew that the Gentiles have a Law written in their hearts and so that they are as a Law unto themselves Ver. 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of Man i. e. In that day when God shall judge even the secrets of men These words relate to the twelfth verse by an Hyperbaton so that whatsoever cometh between is to be read with a Parenthesis The Day or Time here mentioned is the Day or Time of the General Judgment God is said to judge the secrets of men in this day not because he will not judge those works which are open and manifest But because he will not judge them only but also the very secret counsels and deeds of men But the Apostle mentioneth here only secrets to shew that this judgment shall be different from the judgment of men who can judge only those things which are apparent and to signifie that they which commit sin though never so secretly shall not escape judgment According to my G spel i. e. According to my preaching or according to that which I teach and preach to all people For in preaching the Gospel I preach that God will judge the world by Jesus Christ The Gospel is to be taken here for the preaching of the Gospel by a Metonymie as it is taken 1 Cor. 9.14 in the latter word Gospel 2 Cor. 8.18 Gal. 2.7 and Phil. 4.15 He calls it his Gospel as it was ministred or preached by him He mentioneth his preaching of the Gospel here because it could not be known by natural reason that the world was to be judged by Jesus Christ As also because God commanded the Apostles to preach unto the people and to testifie that it is he to wit Jesus Christ which was ordained of God to judge the Quick and the Dead Acts. 10.42 V. 17. Behold thou art called a Jew In that tacite Objection which the Jew is to be understood to make between the first and second verse of this Chapter and which the Apostle answereth in the second verse c. The Jew relyed upon many Praerogatives and Excellencies which he conceived himself to have and of which he boasted As ex gra that he was a Jew by Nature and so a Child of Abraham And that he was learned in the Law of God Circumcised c. for which he thought he was so far in the favour of God as that he should not be condemned or judged for his sins as the Gentile should which vain conceits and thoughts of his the Apostle confuted before at verse the second c. Now here from this place to the end of the Chapter the Apostle sheweth that the Jew was so far from being in the favour of God so as that he should not be condemned or judged for his sins by reason of those Priviledges and Excellencies which he relyed upon and which he boasted of as that being his life was vitious those Prerogatives and Excellencies should make his sins the greater and so tend to his greater judgment and condemnation For where men have the greater inducements and cause or means to be pious and holy if they are not pious and holy according to those inducements and cause or means there their sin is the greater and their condemnation or judgment the heavier Behold By this word the Apostle rouseth up the careless Jew who through the vain conceits of the Prerogatives and Excellencies which he conceived himself to have snorted in his sins to consider and behold his sins and the judgments due unto him for them Thou art called a Jew The Children of Abraham were commonly called Israelites from Jacob the Grandchild of Abraham who was also named Israel untill the Ten Tribes were carried away Captive into Assyria and their Common-wealth destroyed But after that the Kingdom of Judah remaining of which the Tribe of Benjamin was a part they were called Judaei that is Jews from the chiefest Tribe of that Kingdom which was the Tribe of Judah Thou art called a Jew A Jew was descended from Abraham of which descent he was very proud and thought it enough for him to say I have Abraham for my Father Mat. 3.9 Upon this account that they have Abraham for their â—ather the Jewish Doctors doubt not to reckon that all Israel is to have a share in the world to come Talmud in Sanhedr per. 10. 1. And Justin Martyr saith of the Jewish Rabbius that they suppose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. That the everlasting Kingdom shall be surely given to those that are of the Seed of Abraham according to the flesh although they are sinners and disobedient to God Note that the Apostle saith not Behold thou art a Jew but behold thou art called a Jew And this he saith either in allusion to that that they were very well pleased and delighted to be called Jews Or because they were Jews rather in name than in truth as will appear v 28 29. where he confutes this vain glorying of the Jew because he is a Jew And restest in the Law i. e. And moreover thou takest delight in the Law of God as in that which is most perfect and than which there can be nothing perfecter Or putting the Law per Metonymiam Subjecti for the reading of the Law thus Thou restest in the reading of the Law and desirest to read or know nothing else When we attain to the top of our desires so that we can go no further or desire nothing more of any thing especially the thing not affording it then do we rest in that which we have attained to and delight our selves in it And makest thy boast of God To wit that God is thy God and that he hath made a Covenant with thee and promised to be thy God Gen. 17. And hath given thee his Law and his Statutes Psal 147.19 V. 18 And knowest his will Supple Though thou doest it not And approvest the things which are more excellent That is and thou by examination having found out what those things are which are most excellent in the sight of God thou likest them and approvest them That is thou praisest them and assentest to them as such though thou doest not practice them That word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here rendred Approvest may signifie both examining and approving or liking upon examination wherefore here I interpret it liking or approving or assenting to or praising after examination Being instructed out of the Law i e. As being instructed out of the Law from a Child whereby thou knowest the will of God and whereby thou art able to examine and judge of those things which are most excellent He sheweth the cause here or the means by which he a Jew came to know the will of
God and to be able to judge of those things which are most excellent in Gods sight Ver. 19 And art confident that thou thy self art a guid of the blind i. e. And boastest that thou art such a guid as that thou canst lead those that are blind and bring them into the right way And art confident i. e. And boastest Note that Confidence is put sometimes for Boasting by a Metonymie because boasting proceedeth of confidence so 2 Cor. 10 7. If any one trust to himself or is confident of himself that he is Christs is put for If any one boasteth that he is Christs and trust or confidence is put for glorying 2 Cor. 3.4 A Guide That is a Teacher A Metaphor from a Guide in the way Of the Blind i. e. Of the ignorant By the Blind are here meant literally such as want their bodily sight but by a metaphor the Ignorant And the ignorance of God and of his Will is every where in Scripture called blindness by a metaphor as John 9. ver 39 40 41. Matth. 15.14 and 23. ver 16 17 19 24 26. where our Saviour reproveth the blindness that is the ignorance of the Pharises By the blind or ignorant he meaneth the Gentiles particularly yet he may mean also some of the more ignorant parts of the common people of the Jews for the Apostle seemeth to speak here chiefly of the Scribes and Pharises who were puffed up with a great opinion of their own wisdome and knowledge in the Law Though the meanest of the Jews also thought himself able enough to teach a Gentile A light of them which are in darkness This is a Repetition of what he said before Light is taken here for one that giveth light by a metonymy to wit the light of Knowledge Ver. 20. An instructer of the foolish By the Foolish he meaneth those that are altogether without true Wisdom and Knowledge A teacher of Babes i. e. A Teacher of those which have no knowledge for of such is the name of Babes used by a metaphor 1 Cor. 14.20 Heb. 5.13 This is also a Repetition of what he said before where note that the Apostle doth repeat the same things and use an heap of the like expressions here the more to set out the boasting of these men whereby they boasted of their knowledge Which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law i. e. Because thou art such a one as hast the forme of Knowledge c. He sets down the cause here of their aforesaid confidence and boasting they were therefore confident and did therefore boast as they did because they had the form of Knowledge and of the Truth in the Law What we know we know by the Species or Images of the things known which are printed in our minds These Images or Species or the congeries thereof orderly placed or marshalled are called here the form of Knowledge and of the Truth By which he signifies that whatsoever is written in the Law the Jew said that he had the Image of it exactly and orderly imprinted in his mind by which he presently knew the things themselves Or by the form of Knowledge he may mean the true Method of teaching knowledge where by every particular which is to be known is put in due forme place and order which helps the memory both of the Master and of the Scholler Of knowledge and of the truth in the Law Knowledge and Truth here signifie one and the same thing to wit the Knowledge and Doctrine of those things which appertain to Religion and Godliness which things are contained in the Law and which God would have us know Some think that there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a figure so called in these words Of knowledge and of the Truth And that of Knowledge and of the Truth are put for Knowledge of the Truth or of the true Knowledge In the Law i. e. Of the Law for In may be a note of the Object here or matter of Knowledge Or In may be taken here for By and so In the Law may be interpreted by the Law that is by the benefit of the Law It may also be taken as it is usually taken and the Truth may be taken for the truth of things contained in the Law Note that these Prerogatives and gifts or endowments which the Apostle hath from ver 17. hitherto ascribed to the Jews may be ascribed unto them out of the opinion which they had of themselves not that they were so as he describes them to be indeed for see what our Saviour saith of such men Matthew 23.16 Ver. 21. Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy self The Apostle doth here shew that the Knowledge which the Jew boasted of was so far from excusing him from sin and exempting him from judgement as that it made his sin the greater and so his judgement the more grievous These men taught others in that they gave them Orall Precepts what they should do but they taught not themselves because they did not practise themselves what they gave in praecept to others Note that the Apostle useth Interrogatoies here the more to shew the indignity of these mens doings Thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal The Apostle doth not bring proofs of these particulars of which he here accuseth the Jews Neither need he so well known at that time were these things which he accuseth them of Ver. 22. Thou that abhorrâ—st Idols doest thou commit sacriledge St. Hierom observeth That the Jews after the Babylonish Captivity never worshipped Idols at least publiquely as they did before that time and so doth the Targum Hierosolomytanum report of those Jews which returned out of the Captivity to their own Land and lived there But as for those which were dispersed among the Gentiles they were not free from Idolatry as appeareth 1 Peter 4.3 Doest thou commit sacriledge Sacriledge is a sin by which an holy thing is violated And it is committed when that which is holy is stoln or unlawfully taken out of an holy Place or when that which is not holy is stoln or unlawfully taken out of a Place that is holy or when that which is holy is stoln or unlawfully taken out of a Place which is not holy The Sacriledge here imputed to the Jews is likely to have consisted in that That some did defraud the Priests and Levites of their Tithes and such things as were due unto them by the Law and others did take those things which were Dedicated to the use of the Temple and convert them to their own private use It may be asked here why Saint Paul said Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit Sacriledge whereas he said before thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal thou that saist a man should not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery For are Idolatry and Sacriledge the same things Answ Idolatry is a spiritual kind of Sacriledge for it takes
away from God the honour which is holy to him Therefore might the Apostle say Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit Sacriledge As if he should say Thou that abhorrest Sacriledge in one kind doest thou commit it in another Again the reason why the Jews abhorred Idols was because Idols were injurious to the Glory and Majesty of God and as Idolatry is injurious to Gods Glory and Majesty so is Sacriledge too Read Malach. 1. When therefore the Apostle saith Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit Sacriledge It is as if he should say Thou that abhorrest Idols because they are injurious to the Glory and Majesty of God doest thou commit Sacriledge which is injurious to the same Glory and Majesty Ver. 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law i. e. Thou that makest thy boast that God hath given thee his Law and so honoured thee above the Gentiles Psalm 147.19 Or thou that makest thy boast of the knowledge which thou hast in the Law c. It was no contemptible Priviledge which God gave to the Jew above the Gentile in giving him the Law Read Deut. 4. v. 6 8. and Psalm 147. v. 19 20 Therefore no wonder that the Jew boasteth of it and of his knowledge therein By breaking the Law dishonourest thou God i. e. Doest thou break the Law which thou boastest of and so dishonourest God the giver of it q. d. Doest thou turn that in which thou gloriest to the dishonour of him which is the Author thereof and should receive Glory thereby As God is honoured by our obedience to his Law So is he dishonoured by the disobedience which is thereto offered For the breach of a Law turns to the contumelie and reproach of the Law-maker And it makes unbelievers to speak ill of him who giveth the Law when they to whom he gave it thus break it For they think that either he did delight in or connive at wickedness and forbid it only in a kind of formality or that he did not see it or that he was not able to punish it if he saw it and the like The Apostle after that he hath instanced in some particular sins of the Jews contrary to their Doctrine and Profession whereby they were made more liable to judgment than otherwise they would be wraps up the rest in this General Thou that makest thy boast of the Law by breaking of the Law dishonourest thou God Ver. 24. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you i. e. For God is evil spoken of among the Gentiles and ye are the cause that he is evil spoken of Blasphemy is commonly taken in the Scripture and in Ecclesiastical writers for evil speaking of or against God And they which profess God to be their God do make the Heathen which know not God to speak evil of God or against God when they sin contrary to the commandment of God For the Heathen when they see them sin and commit those things which are evil they say that that God whom they worship doth either delight in evil or sees not nor can see their evil deeds or if he doth see them and take notice of them yet he is not able to punish them or is willing to connive at them all which are evil speakings of God As it iâ— writtten To wit Isaiah 52.5 My Name continually every day is blasphemed and according to the reading of the Septuagint there is added amongst the Gentilâ—s How these words are applied by the Apostle to his present purpose may be asked Most Interpreters think that they are applied only by Accommodation which is when words are only used for the present purpose without any relation to the matter which is handled in that place from whence the words are taken As if the Apostle should say Through breaking the Law dishonoâ—rest thou God For what is written by the Prophet Isaiah Chap 52.5 may be said of you viz. The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you But yet the Apostle may alledge that place of Isaiah as a reall proof to prove that the Name of God was blasphemed that is dishonoured and evil spoken of among the Gentiles by reason of the sins of the Jews The blasphemy which the Prophet Isaiah speaketh of was that by which the Babylonians and other Gentiles bordering upon them or living among them did blaspheme the true God But this blasphemy was occasioned partly by the fault of the Jews which were then in Captivity to the Babylonians for many of the Jews which were in Babylon lived not so strictly as their Religion required and when God sent his Prophets to tell them in his Name that he would deliver them out of the hands of the Babylonians they considering the great Power of the Babylonians who lay heavy upon them more than they did the Omnipotency of God would not believe the word of the Lord which made the Babylonians to think and say that the God of Israel was a wicked God because his Servants were wicked And that he was a poor weak God in respect of them because he was not able to deliver his Servants out of their hands neither did his Servants think him able to do it This then was spoken by the Prophet of the Babylonians and other Gentiles who were moved to blaspheme God by the evil carriage of the Jews which lived in the time of the Babylonish Captivity But those Jews which lived in the time of the Babylonish Captivity might be in respect of their evil carriage a Type of those Jews which lived in the time of the Gospel and so what is litterally or historically spoken by the Prophet Isaiah touching them of that time might be Prophetically spoken by him of those which lived in the time of the Gospel And so our Apostle may take it For proof of this that the Jews of one time may be Types of the Jews of another time observe that the Prophet Isaiah speaking of the Jews of his time wherein he lived saith in the Person of God This people draweth near me with their mouth and with their lips do honor me but have removed their heart far from me and their fear toward me is taught by the Precepts of men Isa 29.13 Now what the Prophet saith there is plain that he saith litterally or historically of the Jews of the time in which he lived Yet because as it seems these Jews were a Type of those Jews which lived in our Saviours time these words of Isaiah are taken not only as an Historical narration of those Jews which lived in Isaiah's dayes but also as a Prophesie concerning those Jews which lived in the dayes of our Saviour for thus saith our Saviour to them Mat. 15.7 Well did Isaiah prophesie of you saying This People draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me But in vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men
Ver. 25 For Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law Between this and the foregoing verse we must understand these or the like words Neither boast thou â—f this that thou art Circumcised q. d. Neither boast thou of this that thou art Circumcised for Circumcision verily profiâ—eth thee if thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy Circumcision is maâ—e as uncircumcision and so cannot profit thee at all c. Note that the Jews thought highly of themselves because of their Circumcision insomuch that they deemed that they were beloved of God how wicked soever their lives were for this very reason because they were Circumcised and that God would not poure down his wrath upon them though he would revenge himself upon the uncircumcised Gentiles And upon this high conceit of themselves by reason of their Circumcision is the tacite Objection built which the Apostle here answereth Ciâ—cumcision profiteth if thou keep the Law A Question may here be asked viz. How doth Circumcision profit the Jew for avoiding of Gods Judgements if he keep the Law I answer the keeping of the Law is profitable to Iustification for the doers of the Law shall be justified v. 13. And if for Justification then for avoiding the Iudgments of God Now for keeping of the Law it is profitable to have the Law plainly written and explained and to have it backed with promises and rewards to them which keep it and this they have which are Circumcised by vertue of theâ—r Circumcision for unto them which were Circumcised were committed the Oracles of God Chap. 3.2 and 9 4. and Psalm 147.10 But if a man keep not the Law it will be no profit to him to know the Law and so no profit to be Circumcised yea It is better for a man not to have known the way of Righteousness than after he hath known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered to him 2 Pet. 2.21 This answer is countenanced by what our Apostle saith verse 27. Shall not uncircumcision which is by nature if it fulfill the Law Judge thee who by the Letter and Circumcision doest transgress the Law Ad to this That if upon a supposition He that is Circumcised should keep the Law he that is uncircumcised should also keep the Law yet the Circumcised shall at least in order be preferred before the uncircumcised by reason of his Circumcision which is some profit Another Question may here be asked and it is this Being that the Ceremonial Law was abrogated when the Apostle wrote this and Circumcision was a Ceremony how can Saint Paul say to the Jew as he doth here Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law Answ We may say that what Saint Paul speaketh here he speaks by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Concession only granting to the Jew for Argument sake that as true which was not true viz. That Circumcision was in force that he might convince the Jew of that which he most boasted of and wring that Weapon out of his hand in which he most trusted with the more vigour or greater might Or Secondly we may say That Saint Paul in this his discourse against the Jews in this Chapter though he may seem to tax only the Jews of his own time yet he taxeth all those Jews also which lived under the Law which thought they should be saved through Circumcision and when he speaks to the Jew he speaks by a Prosopopoeia or Syllepsis to them all both dead living collective The far greatest part thereof being that they lived when the Law and Circumcision was in force he may say to them in general Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law If thou be a breaker of the Law i. e. If thou keepest not the Law in every point Thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision i. e. Thy Circumcision is become as uncircumcision and thou shalt get no more benefit thereby than if thou hadst never been circumcised Ver. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the Law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision q. d. Being therefore it is so that if thou who art a Circumcised Jew breakest the Law thy Circumcision is become as uncircumcision shall it not be so that if an uncircumcised Gentile keep the Law his uncircumcision shall become as Circumcision That is If it be so that thou notwithstanding thy Circumcision shall perish if thou breakest the Law shall it not be so that a Gentile shall be justified if he keep the Law notwithstanding his uncircumcision The Apostle that he might pull down the pride of the Jew by which he alwayes exalted himself against the Gentile and that he might equal the Gentile with the Jew over whom he boasted in the reward due to Righteousness whom he ranked before with the Jew in the punishment due to unrighteousness he draws this conclusion of which he speaks here out of that which he said v. 25. Note that Saint Paul doth not affirm here that any uncircumcised person did ever keep the righteousness of the Law so as the Law requireth but he only sheweth that if there were any such how God would deal with him If the uncircumcision i. e. If an uncircumcised person He puts here uncircumcision for him that is uncircumcised the Abstract for the Concrete Per Metonymiam Adjuncti Keep the righteousness of the Law i. e. Keep the righteous Precepts and Commandments of the Law as the Law requireth Shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision i. e. Shall not he be accepted before God and justified in his sight though he be uncircumcised as well as if he were circumcised Ver. 27. And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature i. e. And shall not he which is uncircumcised by Nature that is by his Stock or by his Kin or Ancestry He puts uncircumcision for him which is uncircumcised as he did in the beginning of the 26 verse and he opposeth him that is uncircumcised by Nature to a Jew which is circumcised by nature as the Apostle cals him Galat. 2.15 If he fulfill the Law i. e. If he doth all things at all times as exactly as the Law requireth Judge thee i. e. Condemn thee O thou Jew But how shall the uncircumcised person if he fulfil the Law judge the Jew that transgresseth the Law Answ He shall do it not by judging him as a Judge but by accusing him as an Accuser of his transgression for an Accuser is said to condemn a man when he doth so convince him in his arraignment and bring such evidence against him as that he is condemned through his accusation and evidence And he shall accuse him and condemn him not by words but by his example because he kept the Law being uncircumcised whereas the Jew which was circumcised and had the Law written before his eyes transgressed the Law And in this sence it is said that the Men of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba should
he did cap. 1. v. 5. That they are all under sin That is that they are all under the guilt of sin and so subject to damnation see ver 19. Sin is put here not for sin it self but for guilt which is the necessary consequent or effect of sin per Metonymiam efficientis Ver. 10. As it is written there is none righteous no not one That which the Apostle asserted in the foregoing verse viz. that all both Jews and Gentiles were under sin and that which he had proved by manifest arguments in the two former chapters he proves here by Scripture and that especially against the Jews and for the Jews sake because they flattered themselves with an opinion of their own righteousness and he does it by Scripture that he might convince the Jews by that whereof they somuch gloried to wit The Law that is the Word of God which was committed to them v. 2. As it is written c. These Testimonies which the Apostle here produceth are not all taken out of one and the same place of holy Scriptures but some out of one place some out of another yet what is here alledged in this and the two following verses is taken out of the fourteenth Psalm And some because they imagined that the Apostle cited all these Testimonies even to the eighteenth verse out of one place have inserted all these Testimonies into that Psalm as will appear by the Greek and Latin and Arabique and Aethiopique Translations There is none righteous no not one This is taken out of Psal 14. ver 1. But note that the Apostle cites not the very words of the Psalmist but only the Sence The words of the Psalm are these There is none that doth good But the words of the Apostle are these there is none righteous no not one Now if there be none that doth good there is none which is righteous and if he which saith there is none that doth good excepteth none no not one as he doth not except any as it appeareth from ver 3. of that Psalm Then is there none righteous no not one There is none righteous i. e. He is called Righteous here which followeth after vertue or Holiness and gives his mind to it or he is called Righteous here which liveth uprightly according to the Law of God Ver. 11. There is none that understandeth and seeketh after God This is also taken out of the fourteenth Psalm yet not word for word For it is not word for word said there There is none that understandeth and seeketh after God But yet there we read That the Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of Men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God But they are all saith the Psalmist gone aside they are altogether become filthy c. There is none that understandeth Supple What the will of the Lord is that he may yield obedience thereunto And seeketh after God To seek after God is to seek after his favour by well doing 〈◊〉 after his will to do it Or to seek after God is to regard God and to care for him and his Will For note that to seek in the Hebrew phrase signifieth to regard or care for as well as to seek Ver. 12. They are all gone out of the way That is they are all gone out of the pâ—in of Gods commandments which they should walke in They are altogether become unprofitable The word here rendred unprofitable in the Hebrew signifieth putrified and stinking and it is Metaphorically taken from putrified and stinking meates which are not fit to be eaten and as such meats are putrified and stinking so are wicked men corrupted and even stinking in the nostrils of God And as such meats are not fit for the use of man so these wicked men are not fit for any holy use or fit Instruments of Gods praise or service There is none that doth good i. e. There is none Righteous as the Apostle speaketh Verse 10. It may be asked here of whom the Psalmist speaketh all these words and of whom the fourteenth Psalm from whence these words are taken is to be understood and how the Apostle applies them to his purpose For Answer Many think that the Psalmist speaks of all sâ—â—h men of his time in Generall as were â—ot renewed by the Spirit of God whatsoever they were and that the Apostle may therefore well infer from thence that all men even of his time also were such as they were in the Psalmists time because the same natural corruption was in both and where their corruption as the Tree is alike there their sins as the fruit of that Tree must be alike too until they are born again through faith Others think that the Psalmist speaks only of such people as were at actual enmity with the people of Israel which were the people of God though they cannot determinately say what people they were whether Philistines Midianites Ammonites Moabites or the like and they prove that the fourteenth Psalm is to be understood of such because in the fourth verse of that Psalm God sayes of them that they eat up his people as if they would eat bread And in the fifth verse they are spoken of as men which were against the Generation of the Righteous And verse seventh the Psalmist wishes for the Salvation of Israel to save Israel from these his enemies Others conceive That the Psalmist speaketh here determinately of Absalom and those that took part with him against David his Father And that David made this fourteenth Psalm when he was pursued by Absalom But yet one thing is against this to wit that it is said vers 7. When the Lord bringeth back the Captivity of his people which cannot be said of David and those that fled with him from Absalom and his Conspiritors wherefore to take away this Objection instead of these words When the Lord bringeth back the Captivity of his people they read Cum reduxerit Deus reducem populum suum i. e. When the Lord shall bring back his people again q. d. When the Lord shall bring us back again to Jerusalem which have been fain to flie because of Absalom But whether the words of the Hebrew will bear this Translation let the Learned in that Language judge But now the Question remains how the Apostle can with sound reason bring these Testimonies which he doth out of the fourteenth Psalm according to these two last expositions thereof to prove that all which have not received Christ and his Gospel both Jews and Gentiles are under sin Answ Besides that which hath been said in answer to this Question according to the first exposition given of the fourteenth Psalm which may have place here also for further answer it is said that as many other places of Scripture so doth this Psalm carry a double sence with it one Literal or Historical another Mystical one concerning the enemies of fleshly Israel which were the people of God or
of the Old Testament say they say to them which are under the Law and they are Jews Whatsoever is spoken in the Law must be understood as spoken to them which are under the Law And nothing of all the Law that is of all the writings of the Old Testament must be excepted as not spoken of them but only such things as are openly and by name spoken of the Gentiles of which nature if any be yet all the Testimonies here cited are not But as for other Passages where there is not express mention of the Gentiles they must be understood of the Jews whether the Jews be named or no For what is more consonant to Reason than this That whatsoever the Law speaketh indefinitely it should speak to them which are under the Law though not all passages of all that are under the Law but some of some and others of others Yea where a passage in the Old Testament is spoken of the Gentiles plainly and in direct tearms it may concern the Jew and be spoken of him as well as of the Gentilâ— though not in the first or literal sence yet in the second or mystical And this they know which are skilled in the Scriptures We know i. e. We who are skilled in the Scriptures whether Jews or Gentiles we know or we i. e. We Jews even we know He speaks of this as of a thing confessed even among the Jews and so may it be because it is so consonant to reason as we have said and agreable to the custom of the Scriptures Whatsoever the Law saith The word Law here signifieth All the writings of the Old Testament and that it doth in relation to the Hebrew word Torah which as it signifies the Law so sometimes it signifies not the Law only precisely but any Doctrine in general Or because all other parts of the Old Testament are referred to the Law and depend on that in some wise or other the Law which is but a part but yet a Principal part is put by a Synechdoche for the whole Old Testament To them which are under the Law By the word Law here some understand all the writings of the Old Testament as the word is taken just before But others take the word more strictly here viz. for the Law which was given by Moses And therefore whatsoever the writings of the Old Testament speak they speak to them which are under the Law that is under the Law of Moses because all other the writings of the Old Testament do in some kind or other relate to that and depend upon it either by explaining it or inculcating it or the like As also because the other writings of the Old Testament were given to the same people to whom the Law was given they being also the Oracles of God Which are under the Law They are said to be under the Law in this place which of the two ways soever we take the Law here to whom the Law was given For to whom the Law was given to them it was as a Schoolmaster to teach them and direct them and Schollars are said to be under their School-masters and School-masters over their Schollars By those which are under the Law are meant the Jews for to them and them only was the Law given Rom. 9.4 Psal 146.19 And the Law was our Schoolmaster saith our Apostle Galat. 3.24 That every mouth may be stopped q. d Wherefore no man can glory of his Righteousness nor excuse himself from being unrighteous before God being so convicted of sin as that he is compelled to stand mute before Gods Tribunall as having nothing to say in defence of himself The mouth of man is then said to be stopped when all excuse is taken away from him and all occasion of glorying in his own righteousness before God so that he hath not a word to say for himself Note that the Particle That is not a sign of the cause here but a note of an Illation or inference and what is here inferred is not inferred from what went immediately before but from that which went some distance before to wit from those Testimonies cited in this chapter which shewed that the Jews had sinned as well as the Gentiles yea rather from all which the Apostle had said concerning this matter from the beginning of this Epistle hitherto And all the world may become guilty before God i. e. And all the men of the world whether they be Jews or whether they be Gentiles having nothing to say for themselves are become apparently guilty of condemnation before God the Judge of all The World is taken here by a Synecdoche for the men of the world all which are guilty of condemnation before God till they are justified by faith in Christ Ver. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight i e. Therefore shall no man be justified in the sight of God by the works of the Law that he hath done or for that that he hath kept the Law as he ought to do The deeds of the Law are to be taken here for the performance of what the law commands or for the deeds of the Law as they are performed by us and not simply for deeds injoyned by the Law q. d No man shall be justified by the deeds of the Law which he hath done c. And therefore no man can be justified by the deeds of the Law which he hath done because no man hath strictly kept what the Law commands and the least breach of the Law makes a man guily of damnati The word Law is taken here for the Moral Law which was given by Moses which was the same with the Law of Nature but written in a fairer character by Moses whereas it was blurd and waxen dim and much defaced by sâ—n in the hearts of Men. This is as it were an Epiphonema of all the former discourse for this is the scope of all that hath been said from Chap. 1. ver 18. hitherto to wit to shew that righteousness is not to be expected by the Law No flesh That is no Man for flesh is put here by a Synecdoche very common with the Hebrews for Man so it is put Matth. 24. ver 22. In his sight i e. In the Sight of God It may be that some are justified by the deeds of the Law which they have done in the sight or judgement of Man and that he judgeth that they have exactly kept the Law yet no man shall be justified by the deeds of the Law in the sight or judgement of God for Man beholds onely the outward face of things and that at sometimes only but God pierceth deeper and searcheth the heart and the reins and spies out all mens doings be they never so secret and that at all times And in the heart and in secret such things are done which the eye of Man cannot see For by the Law is the knowledge of Sin i. e For by
Preaching of the Gospel See 1 Pet. 1. v. 20 21 22. A Propitiation A Propitiation is put here for a Propitiator or one that doth appease the displeasure of God The Act for the Cause or the Author thereof by a Metalepsis That which is rendred a Propitiation is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some render Propitiatorem taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Masculine Gender as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But most take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter Gender And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter Gender which in Latin is rendred Propitiatorium the Propitiatory is used by the Greek Interpreters of the Old Testament most commonly for the Cover of the Ark of the Covenant upon which God sat between the wings of the Cherubims as appeareth Exod. 25. v. 17 18 19 20 22 and 31. v. 7. and 35. v. 12. Levit 16.2 Numb 7.89 c. Now the Cover of the Ark did as it were keep from the eyes of God who sat between the Wings of the Cherubims upon that Cover Exod. 25 22. Numb 7.89 whatsoever was in the Ark of the Covenant which was covered therewith And in the Ark of the Covenant there were the Tables of the Covenant that is of the Law Heb. 9.4 This Cover therefore by keeing the Tables of the Covenant or the Law from the eyes of God did in a manner keep the sins of Men from his eyes which were Transgressions of that Covenant or of that Law for what is Sin but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Transgression of the Law 1 John 3.4 And what were those Tables of the Covenant but the Tables in which the Law was written And if the Law were kept from his eyes then must the Transgression of the Law be also kept from them For who can see the Transgressions of the Law which seeth not the Law it self Rectum est Index sui obliqui For this reason was that Cover called in Hebrew Capporet a word which is derived from a verb which hath the signification of Expiating and Propitiating and for this reason did the Greek Interpreâ—ers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Verbal derived from a Verb of the like signification And for this reason was this Cover a Type of Christ whom God had decreed from all eternity to send and in his appointed time did send forth to purchase forgiveness for the sins of his People which forgiveness is often signified by the name of Covering for blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered saith the Psalmist quoted by our Apostle Rom. 4.7 c. In Allusion to this Cover of the Ark and to this use thereof which we have spoken of is our Saviour called here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Note that the Apostle doth in these and in the following words set forth all the causes of Mans justification which he doth therefore because justification is the chief Scope of his Epistle and the main Controversie between him and the Jews The chief and principal cause therefore of our Justification is God himself the Meritorious cause is Christ Jesus his merit is his blood that is his Death and Passion The Material cause or Subject of justification is Man the Formall cause is the Remission of sins The Condition required on mans part is Faith the final cause or End why God did justifie Man is his own Glory for he did it that he might be known to be Just in his promise of justification which sheweth his truth and that he might be known to be the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus which sheweth his mercy and goodness Through Faith q. d. To be enjoyed or made ours through Faith That is to be enjoyed by us and made ours if we believe Here is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this he excludes Works again We are taught by this that God though he did so love the world as that he gave Jesus Christ to be a Propitiation for the sins thereof yet notwithstanding he requires a condition of them that are to be justified before they shall be justified and have their sins forgiven and that is Faith Or that they must use Faith as an Instrument to apply this Grace which I account as the same In his blood Some refer these words to those whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation And then this Praeposition In is to be taken for through as it is taken ver 24. And the sence is to be this Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through his blood to be enjoyed or made our Propitiation through Faith In the words so construed there must be a Trajection or an Hyberbaton which yet is a figure not unusual with our Apostle who sometimes useth yea often through the ardency of his Spirit to go to a second thing before he hath done with the first and then to return to the first again These words so conjoyned shew how Christ was to be and is our Propitiation or Propitiator or Propitiatory to wit by dying for us and shedding his blood for our sins This Exposition is favoured by that that in the Original as most Expositors read it it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a Tenuis but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Asperate But it may be asked what hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be either taken for the Cover of the Arke or alludeth thereunto to do with blood Answ I have shewed how that Cover of the Ark was a Propitiatory and why it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and how it was a Type of Christ and indeed as it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Propitiatory and as it was a Type of Christ it had nothing significant of blood it did onely signifie that Christ should be our Propitiator or Propitiation but did not signifie how he should be so for Types are for the most part imperfect But what that Type signified not other Types did signifie For the Legall remission of sins which was through the blood of the Beast which was slain for a Sacrifice did Praefigure the Real and Evangelical remission of sins through the blood of Christ who was to be slain for us In that therefore that with the mention of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is mention of blood there is a double allusion an allusion to the Cover of the Ark which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Propriatory and an allusion to the Sacrifices of the Law wherein was blood by which was a Legal remission of sins And such a mixture of Types and Sences in speech is not unusuall But as some refer these words By his blood by an Hyperbaton to those more remote words Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation So others refer them to the words which they immediately follow namely to those Through Faith
condition required to all the spiritual seed of Abraham that is to all the faithfull not only to that which is of the Law and under that as the Jews are but to that also which followeth the Faith of Abraham though they be not under the law as the believing Gentiles doe which Abraham is the Father of us all which believe whether we are Jews or Gentiles and under the Law or without the Law 17. As it is written I have made thee a Father of many Nations before him whom he believed even God who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were 17. As it is written of him Genesis 17.5 I have made thee a Father of many Nations I say which Abraham is the Father of us all before him whom he believed even God who quickeneth those which are dead in unbelief with the life of Faith and maketh those which are not faithfull as they which are so raising up spiritual seed to Abraham 18. Who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many Nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy seed be 18. Who against all hope which he could conceive by the course of nature of having a childe believed in hope which he grounded upon the truth and power of God That he should become the Father of many nations according to that which is written of him Gen. 15.5 As the Stars of the Heavens for number so shall thy seed be 19. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred year old neither yet the deadness of Saras womb 19. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now old and feeble and unfit for generation and as it were dead in respect of that when he was now about an hundred years old nor did he consider the barrenness of Sarahs womb and the indisposition and inability thereof to conception so as to doubt or dispair by reason of them of the promise of God 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God 20. He staggered not at the word of God through unbelief But was strong in faith giving glory to God by relying upon his word 21. And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform 21. And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was also able to perform 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness 22. And therefore it is written to his immortal praise that this his Faith was imputed to him for righteousness 23. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him 23. But now it was not written for his sake alone that he might thereby be praised that it was imputed to him 24. But for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead 24. But it was written for our sakes also to assure us that our beliefe also shall be imputed to us for righteousness if we believe on God who raised up Jesus our Lord from the Dead 25. Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification 25. Who was both delivered to death and raised again from the dead for our Justification that is that we might be thereby justified CHAP. IV. Verse 1. What shall we say then i. e. How or by what way or after what manner shall we say then What is to be taken here for How or after what manner for the Apostle speaketh here not so much of Justification it self as of the way or manner of attaining it And so the word What is sometimes taken elsewhere For whereas it is said Marke 4.23 Take heed what you hear It is said Luke 8.18 Take heed how you hear That Abraham our father as pertaining to the Flesh i. e. That Abraham who is the Father of all us Jews after the flesh i. e. by carnal Propagation whether we be of the Law or whether we be of the Faith Abraham was a Father two manner of wayes to wit according to the Flesh and according to the Spirit according to the flesh Abraham was a Father of all Jews whether they believed or no. But according to the spirit he was the Father only of Such Jewes as did believe and imitate his Faith verse 12. The Apostle calls Abraham his Father as other Jews also did to shew that he did esteem of Abraham as his Father aswel as they and therefore what he was to say of Abraham he would not say out of desire he had of diminishing Abrahams glory but out of meer love which he bore to the Truth Hath found i. e. Hath obtained or attained to Supple Justification Note that to find is put here for to obtain or to attain to as Prov. 8.35 and 17.20 and so it is taken so often as one is said to find grace in the sight of another a phrase which the Scripture often useth as Gen. 18.3.30.27 Numb 11.11 Deut. 24.1 2. Sâ—m 15 25 c. Note also that here is somewhat to be understood to wit Justification for it is not to be doubted but that the Apostle speaks here of Justification for this is the subject of all his discourse in this place Our Apostle doth suppose here that Abraham was justified and doth enquire only how he was justified I say he doth suppose that he was justified which he might well suppose for none of the Jews with whom he hath here to do did ever doubt of that or deny it Ver. 2. For if Abraham were justified by works Between this and the former verse we must understand these words to wit by Works No surely q. d. How then or by what means shall we say that Abraham who is the Father of us all after the Flesh hath obtained Justification by works No surely For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory before God in the matter of justificationâ— But he hath not whereof to glory before God in the matter of justification Therefore he is not justified by works He is said in our Apostles sence to be justified by works which hath so strictly observed the Law by which he should walk and walked so strictly according to it as that he never offended in the least manner that is either in thought word or deed For whosoever hath offended against that Law in never so small a matter cannot be said to be justified by morks He hath whereof to glory Supple even before God By glorying is not meant here any Thrasonicall vaunting or any unjust glorying but such a glorying which he might both justly and seemly use which had perfectly kept the Law and never offended against it in the least point which glorying is nothing else but the attributing of his justification or that that he is not condemned but acquitted when he
is judged modestly to his own innocency not to the pardon or favour or indulgence of the Judge when he is asked How he came to be acquitted in Judgement For otherwise to vaunt and glory would savour of Pride and so be it self sin for which he would come into condemnation and so could not be justified which is against the Apostles supposition A man may glory of his innocency before men who hath not perfectly and sincerely kept the Law but kept it onely in outward appearance for when man cannot see to the Heart and to the thoughts and Intentions but only to the outward appearance of Actions he cannot condemn him who in outward appearance hath kept the Law though inwardly he hath broke it in every point but he that can justly glory before God must perfectly and sincerely keep the Law as well in his inward heart and thoughts as in his outward words and deeds And he that hath done so may glory in that sence which we have spoken of For our Apostle faith it here and Chap 3 ver 27. He saith that boasting that is that Glorying for the Greek words in both places are as one being derived from the same fountain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the other is not excluded by works Note that the Apostle doth prove in this verse that Negative answer which we must suppose him to give to the Question made in the former verse that is That Abraham did not obtain justification by works And this he doth by this Syllogisme If Abraham where justified by works then he hath whereof to glory even before God But Abraham hath not whereof to glory before God Therefore Abraham is not justified by Works The Major and Minor Proposition of this Syllogisme the Apostle hath here set down in this verse but not so but that we must understand something of the Major Proposition from the Minor and something of the Minor Proposition from the Major The Conclusion is totally left to be understood If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory this is the Major Proposition which I spoke of and this is defective in its words and the defect is to be made up from that which we have in this verse of the Minor Proposition namely from that But not before God from which words we make the Major Proposition entire thus If Abraham were justified by works he had whereof to Glory even before God But not before God This is the Minor Proposition or Assumption which we spoke of which is also defective in its words and to be made up from the Major Proposition as the Major was from this This Minor Proposition or Assumption therefore entire is thus viz. But Abraham hath not whereof to glory before God This Minor Proposition or Assumption the Apostle proveth in the verses following Ver. 3. For what saith the Scripture Supple Gen. 15.6 Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness q. d. Abraham believed God and that that he believed God was that which God counted or reckoned to him for justification Supple Therefore being that that that Abraham believed God was counted to him for justification Abraham had not whereof to glory Abraham believed God We read Gen. 15 5. That God brought Abraham forth abroad and said Look now toward Heaven and tell the Stars if thou art able to number them And he said to him so shall thy seed be Then followeth that which is here quoted by the Apostle viz. He believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness That therefore for which Abraham was justified of God here was this and this only that Abraham believed God when he promised him that his Seed should be as the Stars of heaven for multitude See more of this v. 18. of this Chapter And it was counted unto him for righteousness i. e. And it was accounted to Abraham to wit by God Gen. 15.6 at such a rate as that God did set down upon his accounts to Abraham that he would repay or requite him for that his belief only with justification The meaning of this whole verse is this That Abraham did believe God and God did so value and respect this that Abraham did believe him as that he was pleased in his Grace and Favour to recompence this faith of Abraham though it were but for this with justification that is to justifie Abraham from all his sins and to deal with him as with a just man which had never transgressed the Law in any point only because he had thus believed him Note if God did justifie Abraham only for this that he did thus believe him Abraham had not whereof to glory before God in matter of justification For he could not claim justification by debt and he which cannot claim justification of debt but hath it of grace and favour he cannot glory of his justification before God The Law requireth exact obedience whether it be the Law of Nature or the written Law of Moses so that he is cursed which continueth not in all things which the Law commandeth and therefore he which hath broken the Law in the least tittle thereof is cursed and being now cursed he cannot be justified but by grace and favour If God therefore accept of our faith for or to justification so that he justifieth us because we believe it is the meer Grace and Favour of God and of such justification we cannot glory as we might do in our Apostles sence if we had so kept the Law as that we had never broke the least Apex of it Note that this Phrase It was counted to him for righteousness is Metaphorical and it is drawn from Merchants or Tradesmen or the like where one accounts with the other for what he hath received of him and in his accounts enters or sets down that for such or such a parcel of Wares or in consideration of such or such a thing done from him he is indebted to him and will willingly repay him such or such a summe of money in lieu thereof or requite him after such or such a way For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the original cometh from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which among other things signifieth Alicujus rationibus inferre that is to bring or enter such or such a thing upon the accounts of such or such a man But let no man mistake here as though because this phrase is drawn from this Metaphor it would thence follow that Abraham's faith was equivalent to his justification and of as great value as that For even in such accounts as we have spoken of men will often when they are well pleased set down more for themselves to pay than the thing which they have received or which was due from them is worth However this is to be remembred that Similitudes run not as they say upon four feet nor do Metaphors agree in every particular with the things from
Justification which God made to Abraham and to his children is become of none effect the condition thereunto required being changed from faith or believing to the exact fulfilling of the Law That the condition required to justification being changed from faith or believing to the exact fulfilling of the Law the promise it self of justification is made of none effect the Apostle shews in the next words Justification if it be by the Law cannot be properly called a Promise Gal. 3.18 yet he calls it so here materialiter as not knowing well how to call it otherwise in this his discourse Ver. 15. Because the Law worketh wrath i e. Because the Law is so far from making them acceptable to God which are of or under the Law that they may be justified by him and so receive the promise of justification which he promised to Abraham and his children as that it stirs up Gods anger against them The Law stirs up Gods anger against them that are under it not onely in that the Law calls for punishment against them which transgress it but also because it is an occasion to them which are under it to sin more and more and more grievously than otherwise they would do For I was a live without the Law once saith the Apostle but when the Commandment came sin revived and I died Rom. 7 9. And again ver 8. Sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence But now that this fell out thus by the Law the fault was not in the Law but in the vitiousness of those which were under it or to whom it was given See those places Rom. 7 For where there is no Law there is no transgression When he saith Where there is no Law there is no transgression he leaves us togather that where there is a Law there is transgression and that frequent transgression too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Transgression signifieth here not every sin which is committed by a Man but such a sin as he commits against a Law plainly given either by word of mouth or by hand-writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Transgression being a sin committed against a Law plainly and distinctly given and that either by word of mouth or by hand writing is Caeteris paribus a more hainous and grievous sin than that which is committed against a Law which is not so given and redounds more to the dishonour of the Law-giver The Apostle by that which he saith here proves that which he said immediately before to wit that the Law worketh wrath For if where the Law is there are transgressions and there be no such sins as transgressions where the Law is not it is evident that the Law is the occasion thereof though not by its own fault yet by the fault of the man to whom it is given And therefore the Law worketh wrath in that it doth not only multiply sins occasionally but elevate those sins to an higher nature and makes them Transgressions as I shewed before Ver 16. Therefore it is of Faith Therefore the promise of Justification which God made to Abraham and to his children is of faith that is is to be attained by faith There is no way of obtaining justification which is the promise which God made to Abraham and to his children but either by the Law or by faith Being therefore that the Apostle hath proved that it cannot be obtained by the Law he may well conclude that it is to be obtained by Faith which is that which he sayes when he sayes Therefore it is of Faith That it might be by grace If it had been by the Law it would not have been of Grace but of debt ver 4. To the end the promise might be sure i. e. To the end that the promise of justification which God made to Abraham and to his children or his seed might be sure Sure The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firm He sayes that the Promise which he speaks off may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sure or firm in the regard of the condition required to the obtaining of it for the condition of it being of Faith is such as may be performed and so the promise obtained and sure whereas if it had been of the Law it would not have been so He opposeth here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sure or firm promise to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the promise made of none effect verse 14. though not in words yet in sence To all the Seed By Seed he meaneth not the bodily seed or the children born of Abrahams body as he did ver 13. But he meaneth the spiritual seed or spiritual children of Abraham that is all such as believe the word of God as Abraham did and imitate his faith I say he means all such whether they be Jews or Gentiles under the Law or without the Law Not to that only which is of the Law i e. Not to that only which are the children of the Law that is which are under the Law or to which the Law is given By this he means the Jews Note that this Phrase which is of the Law is the same for substance with that which we read ver 14. But yet there is this difference that there is meant by such as are of the Law such as being under the Law sought for justification by the Law Here are meant such as though they were under the Law yet sought not for justification by the Law but by Faith in Christ But to that also which is of the faith of Abraham i. e. But to that also which only believeth as Abraham did Supple though they are not of or under the Law or though they never had the Law given them as the Jews had By these he means the Gentiles Who is the Father of us all Who is the Father of us all which believe whether we be of the Law or not of the Law that is whether we be Jews or Gentiles He speaks not of Abraham neither doth he call him the Father of us all in the like sence here as he did ver 1. For there he spoke of him in the vulgar manner as he was the Father of all the Jews according to the flesh and called him the Father of all the Jews whether they did believe or no. Here he speaks of him as he was a Father in a Mysticall sence That is as he was the spiritual father of all which believed whether they were Jews or Gentiles under the Law or without the Law V. 17. As it is written To wit Gen. 17.5 I have made thee a Father of many Nations i. e. I will surely make thee a Father of many Nations A Praeterpersect tense is put here for a Future to shew the certainty of the Event of that of which he speaks of Those words as they lie in Genesis carry a double sence with them to wit a Literal or Historical sence and a Mystical or
made partakers of it which hope doth even now joy and rejoice our hearts 3. And not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience 3. And not only so but least that any should say surely God is not at peace with us nor can we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God because we are afflicted and suffer more tribulations than any kind of men in the world besides which may seem not to stand with the peace and friendship of God and not to be incident to the Heirs of eternal glory we glory and rejoyce in tribulations also knowing that tribulation though it works impatience in men of the world yet it works patience in us 4. And patience experience and experience hope 4. And patience worketh Experience in us of those gratious gifts and vertues which God out of his love hath given us by the Holy Ghost and experience of these gratious gifts and vertues worketh hope in us of eternal glory 5. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us 5. And this hope which is wrought in us by this experience will not fail us and prove a vain hope so as that we shall be ashamed at the last for missing of what we hope for For the sense and feeling of the love of God who will make all them which he thus loveth partakers of Glory and life everlasting is shed abroad in our hearts in a plentifull measure by those gifts of the Holy Ghost which he hath given unto us which gifts are not only signs and tokens of his love to us but pledges also and earnests of eternal Glory 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly 6. I said that being we are justified by faith the wrath of God is appeased towards us and that God is at peace with us for our Lord Christ Jesus sake And that we rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God ver 1 2. all which I now prove for when we had no strength to do any good but were as yet ungodly and so sinners Christ in due time died for us 7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die 7. And this sheweth the exceeding love of God towards us in that Christ dyed for us while we yet had no strength to do good but were as yet ungodly and sinners for scarcely for a righteous man will one dy yet perhaps for a man that hath been good to him some will even endure to dy 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in this that while we were yet sinners and ungodly and so enemies to him Christ through his appointment died for us 9. Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 9. And now if when we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then shall we being justified from our sins by his blood be saved from the wrath to come through him 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life 10. For if when we were enemies to him as we were when we were sinners we were reconciled by the death of his Son which cost him his deerest blood to reconcile us Much more then being now reconciled shall we be saved from the wrath of God by him when it may be done without the loss of his life 11 And not onely so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement 11. And we shall not only be saved from the wrath to come but we shall also be advanced to and stated in everlasting glory by reason of which we do through the faith and hope which we have thereof joy even now in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have already received the Atonement or Reconciliation and divers gracious effects and fruits thereof that is to say divers gifts of the holy Ghost which are as seals and pledges to us of that everlasting glory which we speak off 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned 12. Wherefore being that we are justified by faith and reconciled to God through our Lord Jesus Christ and have through him peace with God and hope of everlasting glory c. Though we have lost much by Adam yet we have gained far more by Christ than we lost by him For as by one man to wit Adam sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned that is for that all men have been made sinners by that one Man 13. For until the law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed when there is no law 13. But here I must leave my Speech imperfect which I will take up and perfect ver 18. to answer an Objection For because I said that all have sinned some men will say That that cannot be for they which lived between Adam and Moses sinned not For say they between Adam and Moses there was no law given either by word of mouth as there was given to Adam Gen. 7.2 17. Or by writing as was given by Moses Exod. 20. And as you taught Paul Chap. 4. ver 15. Where there is no such law there is no transgression how therefore can they which lived between Adam and Moses be said to be sinners or to have sinned which had no law given them either by word of mouth or by hand writing But to this I answer That being that at that time there was no law publickly given by word of mouth as that was which was given to Adam or given in outward writing as that was which was afterwards given by Moses there was not indeed any Transgression in that time but yet it doth not follow that though there was no Transgression in that time there was no sin for though every Transgression be a sin yet it doth not follow that every sin is a Transgression I say therefore that though there was no Law given by word of mouth or by writing from Adam until the law was given by Moses yet sin was all the while in the world though indeed sin was not imputed to any as a Transgression all that time 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression who is the figure of him that was to come 14. Yet nevertheless that you may know that sin was in the world from the days of Adam to the time that the law was given death
the coppy by which he should have drawn a picture may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not the Limner only but the Picture also which through the unskilfulness of the Limner is drawn unlike the coppy And as the arrow and the picture so may we be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which through Adams sin do miss and come short of that Image in which Adam was made when he was endued with those gifts and graces which he had when he was in his best estate to which we should have been conform 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore which is rendred here Peccare to sin is not spoken of us by reason of any sinful Act which we our selves have done in our own persons but by reason of that we have formally missed and come short of that Righteousness that is of those gifts and graces which were given to Adam for us aswel as for himself and which we miss and come short off by reason of Adams disobedience Ver. 13. For until the law sin was in the the world The Apostle prevents a tacite Objection here for whereas he said immediately before that all had sinned A man might object and say But how canst thou say Paul that all have sinned whereas there was no sin in the world for two thousand and four hundred years together that is from the time that Adam fell untill the time that the Law was given by Moses for thou thy self sayst Chap. 4.15 Where there is no Law there is no transgression And there was no Law in all that time This objection the Apostle prevents here saying For until the Law sin was in the world But sin is not imputed to wit for a transgression where there is no Law c. q. d. I acknowledge where there is no Law there is no Transgression but yet it followeth not that where there is no Transgression there is no Sin for though every transgression be a Sin yet every Sin is not a transgression Though therefore there was no transgression in the world from Adams time until the Law yet it follows not but that there might be Sin yea and there was Sin in the world before the Law What a transgression is in the Apostles language See Notes Cap. 4. ver 15. By the Law is here meant the Law which was given by Moses The Apostle when he said that all had sinned spoke as I said not of Actual but Original sin Yet the man in whose person the Apostle raiseth this tacite Objection which he here preventeth or answereth taketh it as though he spoke of actuall sins For of such sins is the Apostle to be understood as well as of Original sin when he saith For until the Law sin was in the world c. Where note that the Apostle doth not alwayes raise objections in the person of one kind of men but sometimes in the person of one kinde of men Sometimes in the person of another And here he raiseth the Objection which he here prevents or answereth in the person of such a one as mistook the meaning of his words when he said All have sinned as though he spoke of Actuall sins when he spoke only of Original sin So when he saith Chap. 6.14 Ye are not under the Law but under Grace Some utterly mistaking the sence of these words as though they were now absolutely freed from the Law in every respect and nothing but favour was to be shewed lived they never so dissolutely concluded from thence that now in this their estate of Christianity they might freely sin whom our Apostle meets with there when he saith What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid And our Apostle raiseth or praeventeth even such objections because there may be some so weak as to raise them and because in his answer to them He can bring in such matter as he would not have them to whom he writes ignorant of And here he raiseth this Objection that by his answer he might shew how sin abounded that having shewed how sin abounded he might shew that when sin abounded grace did much more abound ver 20. But sin is not imputed To wit as a transgression Thus to limit this imputation we have a hint from the following words When there is no Law i. e When there is no Law openly and sensiibly given either by word of mouth as that which was given to Adam or by writing as that which was given by Moses Ver. 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses ever over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression q d. Though sin be not imputed as a transgression when there is no Law openly or sensibly given yet nevertheless to shew that sin was in the world before the Law was given by Moses death which is the wages of sin reigned and exercised her power even over them that had not transgressed against any Law openly or sensibly given as Adam had Death reigned i. e. Death shewed or exercised her power or tyranny rather over them c. By slaying them for they dyed From Adam to Moses i. e. From the fall of Adam to the time in which the Law was given by Moses which was above two thousand and four hundred years That had not sinned after the Similitude of Adams transgression i. e. Who had not sinned like unto Adam who sinned against a Law given him openly and sensibly by Gods mouth Gen. 2.17 and therefore sinned by transgression Adams transgression i. e. Adams sin which was commited against a Law openly and sensibly given for such a sin doth the word Transgression signifie in our Apostles language as was said Cap 4.15 Who is the figure of him that is to come i. e. Who is the figure of Christ the second Adam who though he be now come into the world yet was he not come then but to come when death reigned from Adam to Moses Adam was a Figure or type of Christ only in a generall manner to wit because as Adam conveyed or derived something to his children or to his branches so did Christ to his But if we descend to particulars Adam could not be the Type or Figure of Christ but by a contrary comparison For Adam conveyed and derived sin and death to his children or to his branches but Christ conveyed or derived Grace that is the pardon of sin whereby they are justified and life to his Ver. 15. But not as the offence so also is the free gift q. d But yet the free gift supple which cometh by Christ upon his branches or upon his children Is not so supple for equality as the offence is supple which cometh by Adam upon his branches or upon his children but much exceeds it Or thus But yet not so mean as the offence is which cometh by Adam upon his branches or upon his children in its kind is the free gift which cometh by Christ upon his branches or upon his
himself to be free from the law and under the Gospel Brethren The Apostle speaketh here particulary to the Jews as appeareth by the subsequent words for not the Gentiles but the Jews only know the Law as being trained up in it from their youth He may call these Jews Brethren not only for that that they embraced the same faith of Christ with him but for that also that they were of the stock of Abraham as he was I speak to them which know the Law Take the Law here for the whole word of God as it is contained in the Old Testament as it was also taken Cap. 3.19 By this the Apostle describes the Jews whom he speaks to in this language because none better knew that whereof he was about to speak than they For none better knew that it was unlawfull for a Jew which was under the Law of Moses to depart from that Law than the Jew did nor did any know better what the Law of marriage was than they did for those things where no where plainer and better set down than in the Law that is in the Old Testament which was committed to the Jews It was the custom of the Jews especially such as did not live in extream want for such were fain for the most part to work early and late and to set their children to work too to earn victuals for the belly to instruct and train up their children in the reading and knowledge of the Law Therefore the Apostle may well say when he speaks to the Jews that he speaks to them which know the Law How that the Law hath dominion over man so long as he liveth i. e. How that the Law of Moses hath dominion over a man which is under it that is over a Jew so that he cannot leave or forsake the Law so long as the Law stands in force and is not abrogated but is to stick to the Law and observe it during that time The Law is to be taken here for the whole Law of Moses as it was given by Moses as it is also taken Chap. 6.14 which place see And the Dominion here spoken of is such a dominion or power as an husband hath over a wife which is such as that a wife must obey her husband and stick to him and not depart from him and marry another man as not being her own but her husbands so long as her husband liveth And this dominion is here Metaphorically attributed to the Law For the Apostle while he speaks here of the Law and those which are under it speaks of them under a Metaphor or Allegory of an husband and a wife where he compareth the Law to an husband and those which are under the Law to a wife And these words As he liveth must be referred not to the word Man but to the word Law q. d. so long as the Law liveth And note here that he speaks of the Law as of a Person yea an husband by a Prosopopoeia and therefore saith of it sometimes that it liveth as here Sometimes that it is dead as ver 6. when he meaneth only the standing of the Law in force or the abrâ—gation or cessation thereof That the Law hath dominion over a man so long as he liveth The Apostle grants here to the believing Jew that he was indeed sometime under the Law and that he could not free himself from being under the Law which was so long as the Law lived And this he doth that he might the better perswade him that though he was once under the law and that the Law had once dominion over him viz. While it lived Yet now he was not under the Law and that the Law was dead to him and that he was married to another even to Christ As concerning the dominion which the Law had over a man so long as it lived read Deut Chap. 17. ver 2 3 4 5 6. and compare it with Heb. Chap. 10. v 28. Ver. 2. For the woman which hath an husband c. He proveth here that which he said in the foregoing verse viz. that the Law hath dominion over man so long as it liveth And he proveth it from that that the woman which hath an husband is bound by the Law to her husband so long as he liveth which is an Allegoricall argument and therefore brought because as I said before he speaketh of the Law by a Metaphor or Allegory as of an husband and of the man which is under the Law as of a wife The woman which hath an husband is bound by the Law to her husband so long as he liveth i. e The woman which hath an husband is so bound by the Law to her husband as that she cannot free herself from him and marry another man but must perform the office of a wife to him so long as he liveth The Law which he here speaks of is in special the Law of Matrimony which we read of in the Old Testament and particularly Gen. 2.24 where it is written that a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh Which words shew the Indissolubility of Matromony as our Saviour himself teacheth Mat. 19.5 But it may be objected that by the Law of Moses a man might give his wife a Bill of divorcement and put her away Deut. 24.1 How then may one say is the bond of Matrimony in dissoluble or how then is the woman which hath an husband bound to her husband so long as he liveth Answ This objection the Pharisees made in this matter to our Saviour And he answereth it Matth 19.7 8. The sum of which answer is this that what Moses did concerning the Bill of divorce he did rather by permission than approbation and that by reason of the hardness of heart which was in the Jews so that notwithstanding that the Primitive Law of Marriage recorded Gen. 2.24 stood in full force and God would have it so to stand But if her husband be dead she is loosed from the law of her husband i. e. But if her husband be dead she is loosed from the power or dominion which the husband hath over her by the Law of Marriage or she is loosed from that bond by which she was tyed to her husband by that Law The Law of the husband is to be taken here by a Metonymy for the power and dominion which a man hath over his wife by the Law of Marriage Or it is taken for the bond by which a wife is bound to her husband by that Law Ver. 3. If while her husband liveth she be married to another man she shall be called an Adulteress i. e. She shall be an Adulteress And as a woman which hath an husband if while her husband liveth she be married to another man becometh an Adulteress So they which are under the Law and so married to the Law as to an Husband if while the Law liveth that is if while the
Law is inforce and not abrogated they do despise the Law and betake themselves to some new form of religion and are married as it were to that they become Spirituall whores and adulteresses She shall be called an Adulteress i. e. She shall be an Adulteress and may justly be caled an Adulteress and suffer punishment as an Adulteress The Hebrews use the words To be called oftentimes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be as Isaiah 1.26 Thou shalt be called the City of Righteosness for Thou shalt be a City of Righteousness And Isaiah 9.6 His name shall be called wonderful c. For He shall be wonderful She is free from that Law i. e. She is free from that power or dominion which her husband had over her by that Law to wit the Law of Marriage or she is free from the bond by which she was bound to her husband by that Law See ver 2. Ver. 4. Wherefore my Brethren q. d. Wherefore my Brethren Supple that ye may not be accounted as spiritual whores or adulteresses by being married to another husband because ye were once under the Law and married as it were to that as to an husband c. Note that the Apostle speaks here peculiarly to the Jews as I observed ver 1. Ye also are become dead to the Law q. d. Ye also are become dead to the Law as well as the Gentiles are thereto dead This particle Also speaks that some other were dead to the Law as well as the Jews and they are the Gentiles And indeed the Gentiles were dead to the Law yea rather they were never alive to it or the Law to them I speak as the Apostle here doth of the Law of Moses or of the Law as it was given by Moses for they were never alive to the Law nor the Law to them to whom the Law was never given Now the Law of Moses was never given to the Gentiles by Moses for it is written Psal 147.19 He shewed his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Judgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his judgements they have not known them The Law that was given by Moses was given to those which God brought out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Exod. 20.2 And by those the Israelites are only meant And Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord and thou shalt love the Lord with all thine heart c. saith he Deut. 6. ver 4. By the Law is here meant the whole Law of Moses which was abrogated or expired by the death of Christ and thereby ceased to be in force as our Ap stle sheweth here in this verse Note here that this phrase ye are become dead to the law is the same with that The Law is become dead to you For these kinds of figurative phrases are Reciprâ—cal So our Old man is crucified is the same with this We are crucified to the old man so for us to be dead to sin is the same with for sin to be dead to us c. Note also that by order of speech the Apostle should rather have said The Law is become dead to you than to have said ye are become dead to the Law But being the sence is the same he had rather say as he doth than offend the Jews which were zealous of the Law by saying The Law is dead to you which nevertheless he saith covertly ver 6. By the body of Christ By the body of Christ crucified That is by the death of Christ which he suffered in his body upon the Cross As the Apostle saith here We are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ So he saith Ephes 2.15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity where both his body and his flâ—sh must be understood as crucified on the Cross That ye should be married to another even to him that is raised from the dead i. e. That not only ye may but also that ye should be lawfully married to another even Christ The Church is the Spouse of Christ 2 Cor. 10.2 Ephes 5.29 In ordinary marriages if the husband be dead the wife is so at liberty as that she may marry again if she will or not marry if she please and if she be pleased to marry she may marry whom she will But in the marriage between a man and the Law if the Law be dead the man is inded freed from the Law but yet he is not left at liberty to marry or not to marry but he must marry And yet he must not marry whom he will but he must marry Christ so that in this similitude as it is commonly there is some dissimilitude not to be urged If we are married to Christ then must we be under his rule and dominion and willingly submit ourselves to be governed by him and his word as the wife doth to the husband Even to him who is raised from the dead By him that is raised from the dead is meant Christ And well doth he describe Christ by this here because he mentioned Christs death immediately before when he said Ye also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ For if he had not shewed that Christ who was dead had been raised again from the dead he might have left a doubt how any could be married to Christ when he was dead being that the Law of Marriage is void by the death of the husband ver 2. He describes him also by this to teach us that we should imitate Christ in his Resurrection that is as Christ was raised from the dead so we should rise to a new kind of life But being that many more besides Christ were raised from the dead as he which revived at the touch of Elisha's bones 2 Kings 13.21 and the Shunamites child 2 Kings 4.25 and Lazarus John 11.43 The widdow of Naims son Luke 7.15 and many of the Saints whose bodies arose Matth. 27.52 How can this that he was raised from the dead be the proper Character of Christ Answ Though many were raised from the dead yet where they not so raised from the dead as not to die again as Christ was raised For it is conceived by some that there was none of all those that were raised from the dead but died again except only Christ Jesus yet if we grant that some were so raised as that they died not again as many conceive of those who were raised at our Saviours Resurrection Matth. 27.52 yet was there a difference between their resurrection and the Resurrection of Christ For Christ was raised by his own power John 2.19 but they were raised up by the power of another even of Christ That we should bring forth fruit unto God The end of marriage is the procreation of children which are called in Scripture The fruit of the womb Psal 127.3 And are the fruit of the marriage-bed The Apostle therefore continueth his Allegory of marriage or
wedlock when he saith That we may bring forth fruit unto God The sence therefore of these words is q. d That being married to him that is raised up from the dead we should by the seed of his grace conceive and bring forth fruit unto him who also is God Note that the Apostle changeth the person here from the third to the first which he doth for modesty sake that he may comprehend himself in this his speech The fruit or children here spoken of or meant are good works Vnto God That is unto Christ who was raised from the dead who though he was true man yet was he true God also Wives bring forth children to their own husbands not to others by God therefore is meant Christ here Note that the Apostle proves here that the believing Jews were delivered not only from the imperfection of the Law but also from the obligation of it to wit as it was given by Moses though it had been sufficient for his purpose to shew that they were delivered from the Imperfection of the Law only Ver. 5. When we were in the flesh That is When we were Carnal or in a Carnal estate addicted to the profits and pleasures of this life c. There were few under the Law which were spiritual and minded spiritual things but they were for the most part carnal and minded carnal things And they which were spiritual and minded spiritual things were not so nor did they so by the sole power of the Law so that being that all which were under the law that is under the imperfection of the Law and which had no help but what the Law afforded were Carnal and minded Carnal things The Apostle takes those which were in the flesh while he speaks of the Jews which were under the Law And those which were under the Law that is which were under the Imperfection of the Law for the same For the deliverance from this estate which he here speaks of he calls the Deliverance from the Law ver 6. The motions of Sins i. e. The motions of sins which we felt in our selves provoking moving or enticing us to commit sin or produce sin or to follow them Note that this Genitive of sins is Genitivus Causae And that Sins raise motions in us sub ratione causae finalis while we apprehend them as some pleasant or profitable things Which were by the Law That is which were occasioned by the law Supple as by our husband For he speaks of the law still in allusion to an husband as he did before These motions are said to have been by the law because sin being refrained and curbd in by the Law doth the more she is refrained and curbd in the more break out and shew her self in these her motions in sinful men and so will do in sinful men till grace be poured into their hearts whereby they restrein sin and hold her in Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata This is the manner of sinful nature and such as are accustomed to sin always to endeavour for that which is forbidden and to desire that which is most denied The law doth in a manner speak only to the outward ear and that is not of power alone to turn the hearts of carnal men from their carnal ways yea it makes them the worse by her speaking to them But yet the fault is not in the Law but in them The Law is only the occasion of evil motions not the true Genuine natural cause thereof And that which is good yea very good may be the occasion of that which is evil yea very evil Did work in our members That is q. d. did play their part in our members where they were not idle but very active In our members i. e. In the members of our Body See Notes Chap. 6. ver 13. To bring forth fruit unto death q. d. So that we did bring forth fruit or children and such fruit or children as death did delight and take pleasure in By death he meaneth eternal death and he speaks of it here as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia The fruit or children here spoken of or meant are evil works or actual Sins which are therefore pleasing unto death and such as death delights in because they make them which commit them food for her For as the temporal death feeds upon the bodies of some in the Grave Psal 49.14 So doth eternal death feed upon the souls of others in Hell Note that the particle To signifieth here not the intent only but the event also A question may be here asked why the Apostle did not say to bring forth fruit unto the Law as he said ver 4. That we should bring forth fruit unto God that is to Christ when as he is treating here of the opposition between the Law and Christ Answ Because Sins may not be said to be the fruit of the Law because they are both forbidden and punished by the law But they may be said to be the fruit of death because they make men children of death as the Hebrews speak that is worthy of death Thus some But yet I conceive under correction that by death the Law may be here meant which is called the ministration of death and the ministration of condemnation 2 Cor. 3. ver 7. 9. And therefore may be called death by a Metonymie And it is no absurdity to give the effects which are attributed to death to the Law when we give them and attribute them to the Law not as to the cause but only as to the occasion thereof For it is written ver 10 And the Commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death And thus the Antithesis here in hand will well hold out The Apostle seemeth to mention this and to shew how it was with them while they were under the Law in the flesh That now being they were delivered from the Law and from the flesh they might be more careful and more diligent to do those things which were pleasing to God in newness of Spirit abandoning the oldness of the Letter V. 6. But now we are delivered from the law that being dead wherein we held i. e. But now as the Wife is loosed from her Husband if he be dead ver 2. so are we who were as a Wife to the Law delivered from the law which is or was our husband by the death of the Law The Law is to be taken here as it was Chap. 6.14 and Chap. 7. ver 1 viz. For the whole Law of Moses as it was given by Moses and so precisely given without the grace of the Gospel And in this sence to be delivered from the Law and to be delivered from the flesh will signifie both one and the same thing That being dead wherein we were held i. e. The Law under which we were held bound as a Wife under her Husband so long as he liveth being dead By the death of the Law he
thou that repliest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus 20. Nay but that I may reply O man who art thou that repliest against God and choppest Logick with him Shall the thing formed if it likes not its shape say to him which formed it Why hast thou made me thus 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour 21. Hath not the Potter power of the clay out of which he makes his pots and dishes of the same lump of clay to make one pot or dish for an honourable use to wit to hold wine or meat for the Table or the like And another to abase and dishonourable use as to receive the excrements of the belly or the urine or the like Now then if the potter have this power over the clay Much more hath God power over the mass of sinfull men who are all sinners and none of them deserve to be justified to make one as a vessel of Honour by justifying him and another as a vessel of dishonour by hardening him 22. What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endurâ—d with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction 22. But what if God willing to shew his anger and to make his power known in their destruction hath hardned by enduring them with a great deal of patience and long suffering the vessells of wrath fitted to destruction I mean those who do not obey or believe the the truth but obey unrighteousness or believe a falshood whose portion is indignation and wrath What I say if God hath hardened them what unrighteousness canst thou find in God for so doing 23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory 23. And what if God that he might make known the abundance of his goodness on the vessels of mercy whom he decreed from all aeternity to fit and prepare for Glory by justifying them hath justified them and so fitted and prepared them for Glory as he hath decreed What unrighteousness is there in God for this 24. Even us whom he hath called not only of the Jews but also of the Gentiles 24. Which vessells of mercy we are Whom God hath effectually called to the grace of the Gospel so that we do truely believe We I say not of the Jewes only but also of the Gentiles 25. As he saith also in Osee I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved 25. For whatsoever some perswade themselves to the contrary God hath effectually called the Gentiles and foretold long ago that he would make them his people as he saith in Osee Osee 1.23 speaking of them I will make them my people which are not my people and her beloved which was not beloved 26. And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them ye are not my people there shall they be called the children of the living God 26. And ver 10 It shall come to pass that in the place were it was said unto them ye are not my people there shall they be called the Children of the living God 27. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea a remnant shall be saved 27. But as for the Jews Esaias which pierceth my heart for grief to think of crieth concerning them Chap. 10 ver 22. Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea for multitude yet a very few of them and a remnant only shall be saved from their sins 28. For he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth 28. For the Lord will finish the work which he intendeth with them and will cut it short in rigour yea a short work will the Lord make with them upon the earth 29. And as Esaias said before Except the Lord of sabbaoth had left us a seed we had been as Sodoma and been made like unto Gomorrah 29. And Esaias also said before he said this to wit Chap. 1. ver 9. Except the Lord of hosts had left us a seed which is but little in respect of the whole harvest we the people of Israel had been as Sodom was utterly consumed and we had been made like unto Gommorrah an utter desolation 30. What shall we say then That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained to righteousness even the righteousness which is of faith 30. What shall we say then or what shall we collect out of these Scriptures we collect this to wit That the Gentiles which followed not after Justification in fore time have now attained to Justification if you ask what Justification I answer even the Justification which is of Faith 31. But Israel which followed after the law of righteousness hath not attained to the law of righteousness 31. But the Jews which followed and sought after Justification all this while have not attained to Justification 32. Wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone 32. And wherefore have they not attained to it because they sought it not by faith but by the works of the Law And therefore sought they it nor by faith because they stumbled at the stumbling block that is they were offended at Christ and believed not in him who is the object of our belief for Christ was a stumdling block to the Jews 33. As it is written behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed 33. As it is written of him Isaiah 28.16 Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling block and rock of offence yet notwithstanding that that he was a stumbling block to the Jews for a great part of them whosoever believeth and relies on him for Justification shall not be dispointed of it CHAP. IX Ver. 1. I say the trueth in Christ c. The Apostle having shewed in the beginning of this Epistle That Justification is not to be attained by works but by faith only and having set out from the beginning of the fift Chapter hitherto the great benefits and happiness which accrue to them which are justified by faith breaks out here into a Patheticall expression of exceeding great grief which he hath for his brethren and Kinsmen the Jews to think that their is no way to attain to Justification but by Faith and that yet they have not submitted themselves to this way nor will imbrace it And he shews this his exceeding great grief that he might therby induce the Jews to consider how miserable and deplorable their condition is that they might at length
Nations are of one kin and brethren after a Spiritual manner Ver. 4. Who are Israelites That is who are descended from Isrrel That is from Jacob and are his children which Jacob or Israel was a man beloved of God and who had this name Israel given him in way of honour by God himself Genes 32.28 The Apostle sets out here in this and the next verse the honour priviledges and Pre-eminences of these which he called his brethren and Kinsmen according to the flesh To signifie that he had cause enough thus to grieve as he doth when he considered that they which were so neer allied to him and which had such honour priviledges and preeminences from God should be at last cast off and be rejâ—cted by him and left in such an estate through their own faults as is accompanied or attended with eternal damnation To whom pertaineth the Adoption He speaks not here of that Adoption which he spoke of in the former chapter by which they that are adopted are made heires of everlasting Glory that Adoption belongeth to Christians such as are justified by faith not to natural Jews But he speaks here of that Adoption whereby God passing by all other people made choice of the Jews or Israelites to be to him a peculiar people or Treasure above all people else by reason of which he cherished them and used them as sons and bâ—stowed many blessings upon them For Israel is my son even my first-born saith the Lord Exod 4.22 And again I am a father to Israel Jer. 31.9 And the Glory The Ark of the Covenant is called the Glory 1 Sam. 4.21 22. by a Metonymie because it was a token of the presence of the Glorious God who sat thereupon and gave his Oracles from it And therefore many think that the Apostle meaneth the Ark of God when he saith the Glory But others By the Glory understand the glory which accrued to the people of Israel by that That they were chosen by God to be a peculiar people to him and to be his sons which was indeed a great glory to them and by reason of which God did many glorious things for them and among them For since thou hast been precious in my sight thou hast been honourable saith the Lord to the people of the Jews Isaiah 43.4 And the Covenants By the Covenants is meant the Moral Law written in two Tables of stone by reason of which writing those Tables were called also the tables of the Covenant Deut. 9.11 That Law was called the Covenant because God made a covenant with the people of Israel concerning keeping of that and that was the matter and subject of the Covenant as it was to be performed on Israels part The word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A word of the Plural number which is here rendred Covenants but it might be aswell rendred the Covenant in the Singular number for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it be it self a word of the Plural number yet it is often put to signifie one single Testament And the Covenant and Testament is all one in the Apostles sence here See Budaeus in his Commentary pag. 507. H Steph. in his Thesaurus in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet some say that the Apostle useth a word of the plural number here viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covenants because there were two Tables of the Covenant though the Covenant it self were but One. And the giving of the Law By the giving of the Law understand The Law which was given to wit to the Israelites by God by a Metonymie And by that understand again the Judicial Law per Synechdochen Generis that is that Law which was given to the people of Israel for maintainance of Civil Society among them And the service of God By the service of God understand here the Ceremonial Law which prescribed the manner of Gods Service or how he would be served and worshipped by a Metonymie And the promises To wit All the promises contained in the Old Testament that is all the promises contained both in the books of the Law and of the Prophets Ver. 5. Whose are the Fathers That is whose Progenitors were Abraham and Isaac and Jacob Those most honorable Persons and friends of God The Scripture useth to call those Holy Patriarks Abraham Isaack and Jacob The Fathers per Antonomasiam And of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came Christ came of the Israelites as concerning the flesh That is As he was Man in that he took his flesh that is his body of the Virgin Mary who was of the stock of Israel This was a Glory to the Israelites that the Messias was born of them And therefore Simeon calls Christ the Glory of the people Israel Luke 2.32 Who is over all i. e. Which Christ is over all things and all men as their King and Lord. The Apostle in this latter part of the verse sets out the dignity of Christs Person the more to set out the Honour preeminencies and Priviledges which the Jews had God blessed for ever Amen See chap. 1. ver 25. Ver. 6. Not as though the word of God had taken none effect Here the Apostle should have given the reason why he was so grieved for the Jews but he gives it not by reason of this Objâ—ction which he prevents but by reason of this and other Objections He defers it to Chap. 10. ver 1. as I said before Not as though the word of God had taken none effect q. d. But when I say theirs are the promises though I know that they have not attained to Righteousness or Justification but are yet in their sins unpardoned and unjustified I do not make the promise which God made of pardoning the sins of the Israelites and remembring their iniquities no more a void promise and a Promise of none effect or a Promise in which God is not as good as his word c. For the understanding of this place know That among the many Promises which were made to the People of Israel in the old Testament there were some concerning the Remission of sins that is concerning Justification for the Lord saith Jer. 31. ver 31 34. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah c. For I will forgive theiâ— iniquity and remember their sin no more And Jerem. 33. v 4. and 8 Thus saith the Lord the Lord the God of Israel I will cleanse them from all their iniquities whereby they have sinnned against me and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me and trespasse against me And Micah 7.18 Who is a God like thee that pardoneth iniqaity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage Now God having made this gratious promise to the Israelites of their Justification a Jew might object against Paul and say Paul Thou accountest of us Jews as
to them which do evil For when Evil men do fear to transgress by reason of the awe they stand in of Rulers and Magistrates the publique peace is thereby preserved and the publique good promoted When therefore we receive this benefit by Rulers and this is the end of their constitution this should be an inducement to induce us to be subject to them Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power i. e. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Ruler Power is put here by a Metonymie for him that hath power that is for the Ruler as verse 1. Do that which is good i. e. Do that which the Laws or Edicts of the Power under which thou livest requires of thee See what we said a little before on those words Good works The Apostle draws a Corollarie here or maketh use of the doctrine which he delivered immediately before because it was profitable for them to whom he wrote and there was need of it And thou shalt have praise of the same i e. Thou shalt be so far from having cause to be afraid as that thou shalt have praise of the same for thy well doing Praise is so congruous and pleasing to a mans nature as that it will cause him to approach to him that will praise him whereas fear will make him stand off from him of whom he is afraid Praise therefore may be opposed here to fear in respect of these effects Ver. 4. For he is the Minister of God to thee for good i. e. For he is Gods vicegerent and one whom God hath appointed or set over thee for thy good The good for which God hath appointed rulers over men is for them to honor reward their Subjects when they do well by praising them for well doing as well as by promoting them to honour and for them to procure the peace quiet and well-fare and to keep off wrongs and injuries from them over whom they are placed He gives a reason here why he said do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same for praise is wrapt up in the bundle of the good which he here speaks of Note that when the Apostle said vers 3. Rulers are not a terror to good works but to the Evil and here again He is the Minister of God to thee for good It was not nor is it his intent to give these or any of these dictates as a measure of our obedience as though he would have us to obey Rulers while they are this and do this and no longer But he brings them only as perswasive arguments why we should obey So that if Rulers do not their duty to us we are not freed by any thing which the Apostle here says from doing ours to them Wherefore what Saint Peter saith to good servants 1 Pet. 2.18 may be said as well to good Subjects as to good servants viz. Be subject with all fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward For this is thank worthy if a man for conscience towards God endureth grief suffering wrongfully Yea if thou art a good Christian and hast learned Christ throughly A Ruler be he never so bad cannot be a terror to thee if thou dost well nor can he be otherwise then a Minister of God to thee for good for if he should punish thee undeservedly and persecute thee yet if thou suffer it patiently God will abundantly reward thee for that thy patient suffering in obedience to his commands so that his punishments and persecutions shall turn to thy good though he intends it not so For our affliction worketh for us a far more exceeding weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 But if thou do that which is evil i. e. But if thou art disobedient and Rebellious to him and will not be subject to his Laws and commands but wilt do evil Be afraid i. e. Be afraid of him that is be afraid of that punishment which he will inflict upon thee This Imperative is not praecipientis but Denunciantis For he beareth not the sword in vain i. e. For God hath given him a Sword and he hath not given him a sword in vain or for no use and purpose but for this end that he should cut them off from the Earth which do evil by transgressing the Laws and are Rebellious against him By the Sword understand a power even to put Malefactors to death which is signified by the Sword which is usually carried before the chief Magistrates For he is the Minister of God What kind of Minister of God he is of whom he speaks the Apostle shews and determines in the next words for there be many kind of Ministers of God For the Prophets and Apostles and Evangelists and preachers of the Gospel were Gods Ministers as well as were Magistrates or Civil Rulers He sheweth therefore in the next words that he of whom he speaks is a Revenger to execute wâ—ath upon him which doth evil and so determineth this Ministery to the Civil Magistracy The Apostle sheweth by these and the words following that the Magistrate beareth not the sword in vain A Revenger i. e. One whom God hath ordained or appointed to be a Revenger To execute wrath upon them that do evil i. e. To take vengeance of them or to execute punishment upon them which do evil that is to take vengeance of them or to execute punishment upon them which are disobedient and rebellious to his Laws and so as much as in them is break the bands of common society which ought to be kept inviolable among men for their publique good Ver. 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject To wit to the highest powers ver 1. that is to Rulers Ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake q. d. Ye must needs be subject to the highest powers if ye will either escape punishment or keep your conscience void of offence before God Not only for wrath i. e. Not only for escaping punishment or if ye would escape punishment Wrath is put here for Punishment per metonymiam Causae Punishment threatned from the Magistrate or highest powers But also for conscience sake i. e. But also for this end that ye may keep your conscience clear and void of offence before God which ye cannot do if ye are not subject to the highest powers as I commanded verse 1. That they must needs be subject to the highest powâ—rs if they will escape punishment from them the Apostle gathers or draws here from those words Rulers are a terror to evil works ver 3. And from those He is a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil and that they must needs be subject to the higher powers if they will keep their conscience clear and void of offence before God he gathers or draws from those words There is no Power but of God the Powers that are are ordained of God v. 1. and from those He is the Minister of
the Apostle directs this his admonition or precept to all the Saints of Rome which were strong in the faith whether they were Jews or Gentiles or whether he speaks here only to such Jews as were strong in the faith is a question Some take it as spoken to all the strong whether they were Jews or Gentiles Some again take it as spoken to such Jews onely as were strong And the reasons of these latter are these First because simply it was not lawful for the Gentiles to observe the Law of Moses at this time no not for the weak Jews sake which they think is sufficiently manifest by the Epistle of S. Paul to the Galatians wherefore say they the Gentiles were not in any wise to be exhorted to that which is here written Secondly Because the Apostle saith ver 3. Let not him which eateth not judge him which eateth that is let not the weak which eateth not condemn the strong which eateth that which was forbidden by the Law of Moses as if he were thereby a transgressor of that Law which a Jew though he were weak would not do to a Gentile because he knew that the Law of Moses belonged not to the Gentile but to the Jew onely And to these latter do I encline The Apostle therefore directs this his precept by an Apostrophe in particular to such Jews as lived at Rome and were strong in the faith concerning such things as were forbidden indeed by the Law of Moses but might be lawfully used by Christians And to such doth he speak when he speaks to the strong throughout this Chapter But in the beginning of the next Chapter he passeth from this special Doctrine concerning things which were forbidden by the Law of Moses to that which is more general and there speaks to all both Jews and Gentiles which were strong in the faith Now as for the Connexion of this with the former Chapter The Apostle goes on still to teach the Romans how they should present their bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is their reasonable service as he speaks Chap. 12. ver 1. And because this precept is a precept of charity as appeareth ver 15. He brings it in here after the precept of love and charity which he gave in the latter part of the foregoing Chapter Though in giving of such precepts as these are the coherence is not so exactly to be looked for no more than in the Proverbs of Solomon Him that is weak in the faith He is said to be weak in the faith which doubteth of any thing concerning the Doctrine of Faith or is perswaded against the truth thereof taking that for truth which is not true Such a one in this present case was he which doubted whether he might Lawfully eat of such meats as were forbidden or which thought that he sinned which did eat of such meats as were forbidden to be eaten by the Law of Moses This weakness therefore is opposed to a full perswasion of a thing For which see Rom. Chap. 4. ver 19 20 21. And See 1 Cor. Chap. 8. ver 7. 12. He speaks here of the weak Jew as the sequel will shew Receive you To wit into your company or society as brethren And into your hearts as those which are dearly beloved of you He speaks to such Jews as were strong that is as were fully perswaded and that according to the Gospel that they might now lawfully eat those meats which Moses did forbid in his Law to be eaten And that they might lawfully neglect the observation of those days which Moses would have observed by his Law But not to doubtful disputations i. e. But receive them not to dispute or contend with them about their opinions which they have concerning those meats which were forbidden and those days which were commanded to be kept as holy by the Law of Moses for the Issue thereof will be doubtfull The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Receive you is a word of an Indifferent signification and may be taken either in a good or a bad sence as it is limited and the Terminus ad quem is specified The Apostle therefore sheweth here first what the term thereof is not according to his meaning and afterwards gives us to understand what it is by the carriage which he would have us to use to such a one as I spoke of a little before Should weak Jews newly converted to the faith of Christ be set upon by hot disputations and contentions that by those means they might be drawn from the opinions which they held they might as soon be driven from that faith which they had of Christ as be drawn from those their opinions wherefore the Apostle would not have this to be put to such a venture Ver. 2. For one believeth that he may eat all things i. e. Now one who is strong in faith is fully perswaded in his conscience that he may lawfully eat all manner of meats whatsoever The Apostle doth as it were state the case here Note that the particle For may be taken here for Now as when we say Now the birth of Jesus Christ was after this manner Matth. 1.18 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another Chap. 15.5 For this particle For may be here not the sign of the cause or reason of any thing which went before but a note of an explication which sets out the matter in hand by way of an Example as it were before our eyes placing the weak on one side and the strong on the other Yet we may take the particle For here as it is usually taken that is for a Conjunction causal q. d. Him that is weak in the faith receive ye but not to doubtful disputations And think not that this Admonition is needless For there be weak Jews and there be strong Jews among you One Jew who is strong and believeth that he may eate all things Another who is weak and who eateth onely herbs c. One i. e. One who is strong in faith Believeth i. e. Is fully perswaded in his conscience That he may eat all things i. e. That he may Lawfully eat all things which are good for meat notwithstanding the Law of Moses Here that Rule is pertinent Id possumus quod jure possumus That we may be said to do which we may lawfully do Note here that there were many things forbidden as unclean and not to be eaten by the Law of Moses which yet none of them were unclean in themselves Of many of these you may read Levit. 11. verse 13 c. Another who is weak To wit in the faith See ver 1. Eateth herbs i. e. Eateth onely herbs that is eateth onely such things as were Lawful to be eaten by the Law of Moses Note that the word Onely is here to be understood as it is often elsewhere And that by Herbs he means all such herbs as were by their nature
use of others Note that what the Apostle says here he says by the Judgement of Charity not out of any certain or infallible knowledge The Apostle is here very favourable to these Romans which being weak in faith did abstain from meats which were forbidden by the Law of Moses and did observe those days as holy which the Law of Moses commanded to be kept holy and makes an Apologie for them Yet he is very angry with the Galatians for observing Moses Law as may appear by divers passages of the fourth and fifth Chapters of the Epistle written to them A question therefore may be asked why the Apostle should be so favourable to the Romans in this and so sharp to the Galatians Answ They of which the Apostle speaks here were such as were Jews living at Rome and converted from Judaism to Christianity who therefore were brought up under the Law of Moses and accustomed to those things which were commanded and forbidden therein respectively for which cause the Apostle thought it fit to deal gently with them least by harsh and sharp dealing they should forsake the Gospel of Christ and his faith rather than be suddenly brought off from those observances to which they had been accustomed all their days And for that also that he would shew such reverence to the Law of Moses as that it being dead it should be buried as it were with honour But the Galatians to which he wrote were such as were Gentiles and had been all their life-time brought up in Gentilism never in Judaism Therefore he would never suffer the Law of Moses to be imposed upon them but when they seemed to be willing to receive it when false Apostles would have imposed it upon them he rebukes them sharply for it lest if he should seem to tollerate it or wink at it in them it might be thought that the keeping of Moses Law was necessary to Justification to which faith onely is required Yet though the Apostle dealt thus gently and favourably with these Romans that is with these Jews of Rome here and would not have them to be received to doubtful disputations concerning their opinions yet he did suffer them but for a time and did by little and little instruct them in the truth and perswade them concerning the abrogation of the Law of Moses by Christ as he had opportunity That therefore these weak Jews of Rome did observe days and abstain from meats according to the Law of Moses and not according to the liberty or freedom which was purchased by Christ It was not a thing commendable in them for it did proceed from their weakness in the faith ver 1. but was a fault in them rather yet such a fault as the Apostle would excuse and have others which were strong in the faith to excuse also interpreting what they did to the better part and looking charitably to that which was good or might be good in it Ver. 7. For none of us liveth to himself i. e. For none of us which are Christians doth that which he doth while he liveth for his own profit or for his own glory Of us i. e. Of us Christians Liveth i. e. Doth any thing in his life-time To himself i. e. For himself that is for his own profit or for his own glory Vnderstand chiefly or principally or in comparison of what he doth for the glory of God And no man dieth to himself i. e. And no man which is a Christian doth if he dieth by his death seek profit or glory to himself understand chiefly and Principally here too The Apostle speaks here in the person of a good and faithful Christian such as we must take every one to be in Charity while we have evidence to the contrary And what he saith he saith out of his Charity And by what he saith here he would confirm and prove what he said before to wit that both the weak and strong Christian did what they did there to the honour of God the Lord. Ver. 8. For whether we live we live unto the Lord i. e. For whether we live we do what we do all our life-time to the Glory of the Lord that the Lord may be thereby glorified We i. e. We Christians Whether we live we live c. These two words Live and Live are not to be taken here after the same manner or in the same sence but are so to be distinguished and taken as we have shewed a little before Vnto the Lord i. e. Unto the Honour and Glory of the Lord. See verse 6. And whether we die we die unto the Lord i. e. And whether we die we do by our death glorifie the Lord. Whether we live therefâ—re or die we are the Lords This is the conclusion which the Apostle aimed at and gathers from the sixth verse inclusive hitherto And now having proved that all both strong and weak are the Lords he leaves us as a thing most evident to us to conclude and judge that it is not fit for us either to despise or to judge those which are his Servants Ver. 9. For to this end Christ both died and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living Between this and the former verse Understand these or the like words And this is but meet and just viz. for us to be his servants q. d. And this is but meet and just for us to be his servants For to this end Christ both lived and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living c. He saith that Christ died for this end that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living because Christ gave his blood as a price of our redemption to redeem us out of the hands of the Devil that we might be his Servants and a peculiar treasure to him whether we live or whether we die And he is said to rise again and to revive after his death that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living not that he did redeem us by his resurrection or that his Resurrection was the price or part of the price of our Redemption but because by his Resurrection he shewed that he had paid the full price of our Redemption and by that he came to take possession as it were of that which he purchased or redeemed by his death Neither could he have been Lord of us as he was the man Christ Jesus if he had not risen again For he was not man after death till by his Resurrection his body and soul were reunited which had been severed by his death Christ when he redeemed us to be his Servants he did it that we should be his Servants not onely for term of this life which term civil services among men cannot exceed but also that we should be his Servants for the life to come yea for ever and ever And therefore is he said here to die and rise and revive that he
out of the Psalms is frivolous as though that which was written in the Old Testament concerned us not q. d. Neither think that what I cite here out of the Psalms is frivolous as though that which were written in the Old Testament concerns us not for whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning c. The Apostle did more than hint in that discourse which he had in the former Chapter that the Law of Moses was abrogated now lest any should think from thence that the writings of the Old Testament concerned not any Christians and they should object so much to him he prevents this Objection saying For whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning c. Whatsoever things were written afore time i. e. Whatsoever things were written to wit in the books of the Old Testament which books were written in former times by the instruction of the Holy Ghost The Apostle speaks here of those things which were written in former times by men inspired by the Holy Ghost which writings are contained in the books of the Old Testament not of any other writings Were written for our learning c. i. e. Were written for us to teach us among many other things patience to bear the infirmities of the weak and comfort which the Scriptures minister to all those which do bear any thing which God would have them to bear with patience That we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope i. e. That we through the patience which the Scriptures teach and the comfort which the Scripâ—â—res minister to all those which do bear any thing which God would have them to bear with patience might have hope even hope of eternal life which God promiseth them who with patience and cheerfulness bear those burdens which he would have them bear The patience which the Apostle here speaks of is the patience which is seen in the bearing of the infirmities of the weak with which he mentioneth or joyneth comfort which the Scriptures minister to them that bear the infirmities of the weak willingly to encourage those to whom he writeth to the patience which he speaks of which encouragement is yet augmented by that that he saith that this patience and comfort beget an hope in us of eternal life Of the Scriptures i. e. Which the Scriptures teach and minister This Genitive is Genitivus efficientis Might have hope To wit of life or glory everlasting They that bear that which God would have them to bear patiently and find comfort in their patient bearing have hope of life everlasting both because God hath promised everlasting life to them that bear such things with patience and also because this their patience and the comfort which he ministers to them in their bearing being gifts of the Holy Ghost are as earnests and pledges of life everlasting See what we said Chap. 5. ver 4.5 Note that though the Apostle mentioneth here only patience and comfort as lessons which the Scriptures teach yet these are not all the lessons which the Scriptures teach and which we learn from them For the Scriptures are able to make a man perfect throughly furnished to every good work 2 Tim. 3 17. But the Apostle mentioneth only these because these are enough for his present purpose For his present purpose here is only to perswade the strong Christians to bear the infirmity of the weak ver 1. And to please every man his neighbour though it be against the grain of his own humour and so burdensome to him for his good to edification ver 2. To which he had need of patience to do these things and comfort to hearten and encourage this his patience that he might hold out but if he had patience and comfort he had enough Ver. 5. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another q. d. Now being that patience and comfort are such precious thinâ— and give us hope of everlasting life the God of patience and comfort give you patience and comfort that ye may by them be like minded one towards another and have your hope of everlasting life confirmed in you Patience and Comfort were attributed in the foregoing verse to the Scriptures as to their cause here they aâ—e attributed to God But in this there is no repugnancy for they are attributed here to God as their principal their to the Scriptures as their instrumental cause of which God is the Author Whereas the Apostle speaks in the foregoing verse of these three Viz. Patience Comfort and Hope He magnifies the two former to wit Patience and Comfort And adornes them here in this verse by making God the Author of them and the like he doth of Hope ver 13. Grant you to be like minded one towards another i. e. Grant you whether Jews or Gentiles to be like minded one towards another Jews to the Gentiles and Gentiles to the Jews again to wit through Patience and Comfort To be like minded one towards another signifieth to be of the same affection one towards another that is to be at concord and unity among your selves For the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wheâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be referred according to Saint Pauls usage of the word not to the understanding but to the affection And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth among your selves See the like Chap. 12.16 2 Cor. 3.11 c. If men were of the same affection one towards another they would have the same affections to others as they have to themselves and would do no otherwise to others than they would to themselves which would make all well among them Patience and Comfort which strengtheneth and encourageth Patience were good means to make the Romans to be of the same affection or to be at concord or unity among themselves For that which hindred the joyning of their affections and unity and concord among themselves was that they could not bear one anothers burdens nor could they please every one his neighbour this was too troublesome and burdensome to them but if they had but patience and comfort joyned with their patience then might they easily bear one anothers burdens and every one please his neighbour for his good to edification upon which an unity and concord of affections would follow In praying that they may be like minded one towards another he prays that the strong might bear the infirmities of the weak yea that every one might please his neighbour for his good to edification which was that which he exhorted to ver 1.2 and somewhat more According to Christ Jesus i. e. According to the will and Gospel of Christ Jâ—sus who requireth this at your hands Or because he proposed the example of Christ ver 3. after the example of Christ Jesus who shewed his kind affection towards us Christ Jesus is put here either for the Will or Gospel or else for the example of